It’s hard to avoid potholes in Tennessee. The state’s roads are always full of traffic and the changing weather makes even a small crack into something that can become a big pothole. While you might think of this kind of road damage as something that can be easily avoided, it’s important to remember that potholes are actually a leading cause of accidents. The problems caused aren’t always those that come from directly hitting a pothole, and the issues you’ll face vary depending on exactly what happens.
High Speed Accidents
As you might expect, most of the problems that come from potholes come from hitting them directly. While you can definitely cause problems for your car if you hit them at a reasonable speed, big problems come if you are going down a major road and hit them going anywhere near the speed limit. The problems caused by potholes compound when you go faster than normal, so you can imagine what might happen when you are on the interstate.
Indeed, some of the biggest problems caused by potholes occur when they are on the interstate. With speed limits that reach seventy miles per hour, Tennessee highways can quickly become deadly if there is any kind of damage on the road. In the best case scenario, the damage that occurs will only happen to one care. Unfortunately, hitting these potholes at speed might also put you at risk of going out of control and hurting someone else.
Watch for Debris
There’s a good bit of manufacturing and construction in Tennessee, and that means that there are always huge pieces of equipment being hauled on the state’s roads. While this can be dangerous even on a smooth road, things are even worse when you are dealing with potholes. A small pothole can cause a variety of items to fall off the back of a truck, and the items that fall off become dangerous obstacles on the road. From cracked windshields to major accidents, all it takes is one bump in the road for disaster to occur. This kind of damage is common, yet it wouldn’t happen without so many potholes on the road.
Pile-Ups
If you’ve ever spent time driving in one of Tennessee’s major cities, you know that the primary cause of any accident is other cars. If you’ve ever driven on a highway like Knoxville’s I-40, you’ll get a good chance to see this in action. A pothole is a fantastic tool for making sure that these accidents can happen, causing minor course corrections that throw off the flow of traffic and end up causing new accidents. While you might not immediately see the pothole as the cause of the accident, it is that presence that starts the chain of events.
Even a small pothole can cause a huge problem. No matter where you live in Tennessee, you’ll encounter these holes in the ground. Do what you can to avoid them, but try to realize that they are more dangerous than you could have imagined. Remember, it’s not just your responsibility to avoid these obstacles – it is also the responsibility of the state and/or your municipality to make sure they are repaired. Report potholes when you can, but always make sure you put your safety first. These are just one kind of danger on the road, so keep your eye out.
