Just getting in your vehicle and driving is very hazardous in itself. Watching out for unaware drivers, hazardous environmental conditions and speed changes can be exhausting, but when you add the many possible road or highway defects into the equation, driving can be downright scary.

Road defects are not usually a thing drivers are constantly thinking about or aware of. They sneak up on you and can easily cause serious car accidents whether you are driving a car, truck, motorcycle or even riding a bicycle. It is important to be prepared for the possibility of defects at any time. If you can foresee potential hazards, you can effectively navigate between them.

Types of Hazards to Be on the Lookout for:

Certain types of road hazards are more obvious than other, but it is of utmost importance that you are prepared for anything that might be thrown your way while driving. Some potential road and highway defects include:

Surface issues-this pertains to anything on the road that develops after long term usage without proper upkeep. Older roads that have not been resurfaced in a fair amount of time often have uneven surfaces, loose gravel and potholes that can cause loss of control when a car drives over them. If you detect any of these problems, slow down significantly and proceed with caution. If you encounter a large pothole that might potentially cause a tire blowout, look to all sides and see if you can change lanes to avoid it. A blow out or even multiple blowouts is never as bad as a car wreck, so if you can’t change lanes very safely, just go over the pothole. If it causes a blowout, hold the steering wheel straight and allow the car to slow on its own. NEVER slam on the breaks. After you have slowed, carefully pull into a parking lot, far away from the street to change your tire.

Traffic aid fault-this is when common place traffic aids installed by the government to help direct traffic and alert drivers to hazards are not functioning. This includes stop lights after a storm has caused them to lose power and damaged or missing road signs.

Building activities-construction on the streets can be a serious hazard. Be ready for quick lane merges and possible hazardous objects left in the road from workers.