Approximately 80-90 fatalities per year are caused by vehicle-related road debris.

Road debris -- auto parts, tire remnants, cargo or other material unintentionally discharged from vehicles onto the roadway -- is estimated to cause more than 25,000 crashes per year in North America. Many of these crashes can be prevented if truckers and motorists secure their loads properly and report debris they encounter on the road. The most common types of debris include: tire treads, garbage from waste haulers and lumber and construction supplies. AAA offers the following tips to help motorists avoid road debris - and other driving dangers - during the summer driving season:

• Take the time to secure your cargo adequately before you hit the road, and re-check it every time you stop.
• Report unsafe vehicles, unsecured loads and road debris.
• Brush up on defensive driving, especially around trucks in the event of wheel and tire separations. (Read more safety tips for driving around commercial trucks.)
• Maintain a safe following distance. At highway speeds, this means allowing at least 4-5 seconds between you and the vehicle in front of you. Give yourself extra distance if following a vehicle carrying large or difficult-to-secure cargo.
• Focus your vision further down the road. Scan at least 12 seconds ahead so you have time to react to changing highway conditions, including road debris. Sudden movements by cars well ahead of you often indicate a hazard in the road.
• Sometimes it's safer to run over debris rather than try to avoid it. Striking minor road debris can be far less dangerous than veering into oncoming traffic or swerving off the pavement. Knowing where the cars around you are will help you make the right decision.
• Many state police agencies have special phone numbers to report dangerous road conditions such as road debris and vehicles that appear ready to lose their loads.