Road debris is a dangerous problem KPRC 2 Investigates has reported on in recent months and now yet another driver is facing trouble after what she encountered on Houston’s 610 Loop.
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“The car in front of me swerved at the last second, and I realized it was because there was something in the road,” said Chelise George, a resident of Missouri City.
What was in the road early that morning on the 610 Loop in East Houston was a large tire and George says she had no way to get around it.
“There was a car next to me, a wall next to me, and the person behind me was basically tailgating. "
George struck the tire causing significant damage to her car. She says she was lucky to survive.
“It ripped out a good amount of stuff underneath my car, including my steering rack. So at that point, the car started to spin out back and forth.”
George’s small sedan was totaled, suffering $13,000 in damages.
According to the Texas Department of Transportation, in 2019, there were 2,771 road debris accidents in the state. In 2020, there were 2,551. In the first six months of 2021, there were 1,424.
George doesn’t know the origins of the tire she struck, so her insurance has to cover the incident. Now she’s facing the headache of getting a new vehicle at a time when prices are high and supplies are low.
“It has not been a fun experience. So there’s definitely really bad shortages” said George. “I desperately wish I still had my car.”
George is now sharing something that may help other drivers. Comprehensive car insurance will take care of you if you hit a piece of debris in the roadway and can’t determine the source of the debris. Liability insurance will not cover you and damages will have to be paid out of pocket.
