Debris from semi's and dump trucks on the highway?

[Huie83]

Twice this past year I have had a cracked windshield from debris that has flown off a semi hauling dirty equipment or dump trucks hauling sand or rocks. Has anyone ever called the Highway Patrol to report something like a semi cruising down the highway spewing sand and rocks all over? It sucks getting stuck around one of these trucks and getting pelted with sand etc. I have glass coverage on my policy but it would suck if I didn't....

 

[SHOZ]

I was passing a semi on the highway once and a 2' piece of iron came flying out from under it. hit both passenger side doors and ripped a gash in them. Then there's the road alligators that will eat up a front bumper cover.

Trucks should have covers for loose fill. I see tickets for this the blotter.

 

[MNgopher]

Legally, they are required to have their loads covered and not have debris falling off the trailer.

Tracking down who did it and getting someone to enforce legally is difficult, and that still doesn't fix your windshield. Going to company can often be an exercise in futility too...

 

[Huie83]

Originally Posted By: MNgopher
Legally, they are required to have their loads covered and not have debris falling off the trailer.

Tracking down who did it and getting someone to enforce legally is difficult, and that still doesn't fix your windshield. Going to company can often be an exercise in futility too...



I figured it would be hard to prove the debris came from their truck, maybe I'll start using a dash cam

The first time it happened was from a open dump truck that should have had it's cover down. This second time it was from equipment that was on a flat bed semi, was dumping huge clumps of dirt and rocks all over... erg...

 

[jcwit]

I've had it happen to me, rock from a gravel hauler, broke my windshield, but then I have insurance that cover it.

 

[Nick1994]

Which is why I stay clear of semi trucks, when I'm near one I'm foot to the floor passing them. Even from 2 lanes over their tires throw rocks all over.

Phoenix freeways are lined with gravel on both sides. This means rocks everywhere! Broken windshield capital of the U.S.

Originally Posted By: SHOZ
Then there's the road alligators that will eat up a front bumper cover.


My aunt was getting on the freeway one day in her 2 year old VW. A pickup truck ran over a semi truck tire tread and threw it into her car and windshield at 70 mph. Was a lot of damage on that car, she was covered in glass from head to toe but luckily no injuries.

 

[Taildragger]

Ah,, with a backgound in 'the business', there is a difference between something falling from a truck and debris being on the roadway and 'kicked up' by a truck.

 

[zzyzzx]

I think the only justice you can possibly ever get on this is if you have a dash cam.

 

[AlaskaMike]

I've had good success by providing my insurance company with detailed info on the problem vehicle (plate #, owner/operator info, etc). Insurance companies are delighted when they have "suspect info" that they can act on to cover their costs.

But yeah--avoidance is worth a thousand successful claims. I've always had a big aversion to driving near big rigs and dump trucks ever since I started riding motorcycles. When one of those big rig tires explodes, or a retread lets go right next to you, or right in front of you, it can ruin your whole day on a bike.

 

[Jarlaxle]

Originally Posted By: Taildragger
Ah,, with a backgound in 'the business', there is a difference between something falling from a truck and debris being on the roadway and 'kicked up' by a truck.


Spot on. News flash: if I run over a rock on the highway, my drive tires will spit it a good distance!

 

[kschachn]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: Taildragger
Ah,, with a backgound in 'the business', there is a difference between something falling from a truck and debris being on the roadway and 'kicked up' by a truck.

Spot on. News flash: if I run over a rock on the highway, my drive tires will spit it a good distance!


True, but on the dump trucks you can see the rocks and junk falling out of the gap between the truck bed and the back gate. It falls out, drops to the pavement and starts bouncing over the road. Some trucks have a huge gap where the gate doesn't fit well. Every time they hit an expansion joint or pothole a large amount of stuff falls out.

Some of the trucks are an absolute menace on the road with people jockeying between lanes trying to get away. Many times the worst offenders seem bent on driving 10 MPH above the speed limit making it difficult to pass.

 

[Huie83]

Originally Posted By: Jarlaxle
Originally Posted By: Taildragger
Ah,, with a backgound in 'the business', there is a difference between something falling from a truck and debris being on the roadway and 'kicked up' by a truck.


Spot on. News flash: if I run over a rock on the highway, my drive tires will spit it a good distance!


For sure, I'm talking where it is actually blowing/falling from the back of the truck or the gear it is hauling. Kicking up a rock is something totally different. That happens and I wouldn't be mad about that. Breaking my windshield or sandblasting my car because you want to drive your dirty [censored] semi on the highway is a different story

 

[Pop_Rivit]

I simply stay far enough away so that if something should fall off I'm not in the line of fire.

 

[Chris142]

Make sure its coming off the truck and not kicked up from the street. I had a guy 2 weeks ago telling me that I was losing gravel and broke his glass...I haul house trusses with a roll off....not dirt.

 

[CT8]

Following too close to semi trucks and other vehicles leads to bad things.

 

[supton]

It does, but rocks can get flung a long distance. I've gotten dinged by rocks with no trucks in site. I think cars can sometimes fling them too, and what seems like long distance.

Pretty sure I've heard them land on the roof of my Tundra--I know they have hit the roof of my sedans.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

IMO the absolute worst is SAND.

 

[veryHeavy]

I had a large sheet of plywood fly off a truck.
I saw it spin through the air, and then land on my windshield with a loud BANG.
Fortunately it landed on the flat side & did no damage except scratch the glass.

Being young I didn't realize I could record the truck's plate & get him reported.

 

[MNgopher]

Working in the business too (not actually driving but as a consumer of aggregate products, earthwork, and transporting construction equipment), I don't disagree that there is a difference between kicking stuff up that's already on the road and dealing with stuff actually falling off a truck...

A typical culprit with a winter like we've had recently is someone hauling construction equipment with mud stuck to it. During transport, it often dries and falls off, and then ends up falling off the trailer. It means taking a decent amount of time to clean off the equipment you are loading up, but we are too lazy to do it and too averse to the time it takes. On the flip side, our guys get chewed out if we catch them hauling with equipment that hasn't been cleaned up...

 

[OneEyeJack]

You could spend a couple of thousand dollars trying to recover $500 for a windshield.

As suggested, stay away from trucks and accept minor damage as part of the cost of commuting. Don't get your blood pressure jacked up over something you can't fix.