CHARLOTTE, N.C. (FOX 46) – Crashing into a chair on the interstate is the extreme when it comes to road debris.
Asparrow Hargro-Cole says she didn’t think debris would lead to a crash as she was driving back from Greensboro with her brother.
“It was pretty dark at night and before you knew it it was something I had ran over then I swerved to the right,” said Hargro-Cole.
She hit a concrete barrier near China Grove before gaining control of the vehicle.
The crash damaged the axel and rear bumper.
“The police came,” added Hargro-Cole. “They completely understood the whole situation, they even figured I hit a piece of tire, a piece of rubber from a tire.”
“As we return to the roads, we’re seeing more and more crashes, unfortunately,” says Tiffany Wright, spokesperson for AAA Carolinas. “It’s sad we have to talk about debris being a factor.”
Triple A of the Carolinas in a recent three-year study attribute close to 200,000 crashes a year in the United States to road debris.
The company always advises members to do three things, always scan the roadway for debris, leave yourself an escape route, and if all else fails be prepared to drive through it.
“Sometimes you’re not about able to move to the left or move to the right,” added Wright “You don’t want to swerve because we all know that swerving can really have some pretty bad and dangerous consequences as well.”
Hargro-Cole and her brother are happy the crash wasn’t a lot worse. Some crashes have been fatal, and she hopes others won’t have to go through what she did.
For breaking news delivered to you, subscribe to FOX 46 Charlotte’s breaking news email list
“What if me and my brother would have lost our lives?” says Hargro-Cole “Who would have been at fault then?”
Triple A says most of the road debris accidents occur between 10 am and 4 pm because that is usually when people are hauling materials.
They also urge drivers to not get distracted with phones because you can’t see road debris if you’re looking at your phone.
