Most of the things that end up in the road are from passenger vehicles, Hill says, but sometimes the roadway junk comes from commercial trucks, such as tire treads from big rigs. Some commercial truck owners retread tires instead of replacing them, and occasionally the new treads separate from the tires. Often the truck driver doesn't realize what's happened until later. With 18 wheels, the loss of tread on one isn't noticeable while driving.
The pieces of tread look harmless, but the rubber is imbedded with metal.
"They're affectionately referred to as 'gators' because if you try to grab one, you'll get cut up," Hill says.
Kristin Luehrs, a traffic reporter for WTVR CBS Channel 6 in Richmond, Va., tells of one driver whose pickup was hit by a whole wheel -- not just the tread -- that flew off a big rig. The wheel hit the hood and smashed the windshield. Amazingly, the pickup driver was able to pull off the road unscathed.
"He looked like the fear of God was put in him," Luehrs says.
[h=2]How insurance works[/h]Car insurance will come to the rescue in such instances. If your vehicle is damaged from running into or running over an object in the road, then your collision coverage will pay for repairs, says Insure.com consumer analyst Penny Gusner. If the object flies through the air and hits your car, then your comprehensive coverage will come into play. You pay a deductible when you make a collision or comprehensive claim. Personal injury protection or medical payments would pay for treatment of injuries.
You might be able to make a claim against another driver's liability insurance if the accident was the result of someone failing to secure a load.
"It's one reason to have a dash cam," Gusner says.
The camera would capture the accident and the license plate number of the car or truck that lost the object.
Regardless, Gusner advises making a police report, which will help establish the facts for the insurance claim.
Drivers who carry items in or atop their cars are required by law in most states to secure them properly; penalties range from $50 under littering statutes in a few states to as much as $5,000 in Washington - plus jail time - if another person is injured.
Tickets for failing to secure a load typically do not appear on a driver's motor vehicle record and thus do not affect car insurance rates.
[h=2]https://www.insurance.com/auto-insurance/claims/things-in-the-road-mattresses-ladders-bowling-balls.html[/h]
Whatever the damage, if the cost of repairs is minimal, it might not be worth filing a claim with your auto insurance provider, either because it doesn’t reach your deductible amount or is barely above it.
I’d recommend that you pay out-of-pocket for your minor repairs and leave car insurance claims for expensive damage you can’t afford to fix on your own.
While comprehensive claims don’t typically raise your rates, collision claims can, and either type of claim may get you surcharged by your insurer if you have accumulated several claims (of any type) within a short period of time.
https://www.carinsurance.com/kb/road-debris-insurance-claim
Can you hold the truck driver responsible for this tire tread hitting your car or causing a truck accident? Was it the driver’s fault, or simply bad luck? After all, you cannot control when you get flat tires—can you really expect more from truck drivers?
You absolutely can (and should) expect more from these experienced commercial drivers. Truck drivers are held to a higher standard than other drivers on the road, which means that they must be aware of their driving performance and rig conditions at all times, including:
- Proper rate of speed
- Proper tire maintenance and inflation
- Overloaded/overweight trailer
https://www.chrishudsonlaw.com/faqs/truck-accidents-involving-tire-tread-debris.cfm
