Driving at fast speeds on the highway requires your undivided attention. In some cases, you may find yourself swerving around to avoid driving into debris on the highway that could damage your car. To mitigate any bumps or scratches, find out the best practices for navigating around these types of obstacles safely.
Stay Alert and Anticipate Hazards
As you drive, be sure to consistently scan the road ahead, your mirrors, and the sides of the road for potential hazards such as traffic cones, boxes, or larger objects. Anticipating these obstacles gives you more time to react and reduces the need for a harsh stop or abrupt swerve. If you’re driving at night, keep your lights on, and look out for any debris that come out of the shadows.
Maintain a Safe Following Distance
The flow of traffic will usually indicate when there’s a potential hazard on the road. Tailgating limits your ability to spot debris in time to maneuver around it without hitting other vehicles, so be sure to keep a safe distance from the car in front of you.
Most driving experts recommend a three-second rule to have an adequate reaction time for any situation. Give yourself an extra second or two and maintain your distance from other cars during windy or stormy conditions to avoid driving into debris on a highway.
Use Your Peripheral Vision for Changing Lanes
When you see debris ahead, smoothly check your mirrors and blind spots before changing lanes. Abrupt lane changes can startle nearby drivers and increase the risk of accidents. Always signal your intentions early, especially if you plan to overtake multiple lanes.
Avoid Sudden Swerves
Swerving may seem like the quickest solution, but it can cause you to lose control of your car or end up in a collision. Instead of reacting impulsively, evaluate the situation and decide if reducing your speed or safely switching lanes is a more effective response. If the debris is small and unavoidable, it may be safer to drive over it slowly rather than swerving and risking an accident.
If you collide with an item on the road, be sure to check for any damage to your car when you arrive at your destination. It’s important to repair your bumper after a minor accident as soon as possible to prevent severe scrapes or misaligned parts on your car’s exterior.
Take Note of Obstructions to Report Them
If you encounter large debris that threatens your safety as a driver, such as fallen trees or construction materials, pull over safely and report it to local authorities or highway maintenance if possible. This helps prevent future accidents for others traveling in the area. Some states have a road safety hotline, so save this number on your phone to quickly report the hazard.
After a windy day or a heavy storm, there may be more debris on the highway than you anticipated. Whether it’s misplaced traffic cones or abandoned furniture, you must know how to navigate through these obstacles without disrupting the flow of traffic.
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