A new study by AAA’s Foundation for Traffic Safety found that debris on roadways is estimated to cause over 25,000 crashes a year in North America. Vehicle-related road debris (VRRD)--material unintentionally discharged from vehicles onto the roadway—also results in 80-90 fatalities per year, the study said. A survey of road authorities in the U.S. and Canada on maintenance practices found the three most prevalent forms of road debris include tire treads, garbage from waste haulers, and lumber and construction materials. The study recommends these low-cost approaches to reducing incidences of VRRD as follows: --Educate fleet maintenance personnel on preventing wheel separations --Train enforcement officials in vehicle safety and load securement --Train commercial vehicle drives to periodically inspect vehicle and cargo --Educate motorists on load securement and report unsafe vehicles, loads, and road debris --Enact stricter laws on load securement --Target specific groups for enforcment (e.g., waste haulers, landscapers) --Educate the public on defensive driving To view the complete study, click here