Product News and Recalls

Fall Has Arrived, Brings Roadway Dangers

fall brings beauty and dangers to roadwaysThe temperature has dropped, football season is in full swing, and attention has turned to adding pumpkin flavoring to as many food items as possible. Fall is finally here. And while this is normally a great season to prepare for holidays and relax in front of a roaring fireplace, we still have to get from point A to point B, and that means taking to the nation’s roadways.

Dry roads heated by the summer sun are now leaf-covered and dampened by fall rain and snow. Animals who were enjoying lazy hot summer days just weeks ago are now consumed with breeding and fortifying themselves for times when food may be a bit more scarce. And there’s us; zooming back and forth as we power our 3,000-pound piles of steel, plastic, wire, and fuel to speeds of over a mile per minute.

Fall brings just as many dangers to interstates as it does to side roads and everything in between.

Leaves can be as slippery as ice and can easily cover hazards like potholes and cracks in the roadway. They can also cover important road markings, reflectors, and just about anything else you could imagine at ground level. Use caution when traveling leaf-covered roads because they can be as dangerous as they are beautiful.

Speaking of the beauty of fall colors, be aware of those who may be out and about looking to take in the sights of the season, especially those who may not be locals to your area. Roadways themselves can turn into tourist attractions and someone who is paying more attention to the colors above them than the cars around them can inadvertently stray out into a roadway without realizing what they’ve done.

Fall is also prime mating season for deer and the animals can do considerable damage to your vehicle; not to mention the guilt that can come from accidentally injuring or killing such a beautiful animal. Deer are most active from dusk to dawn and generally travel in groups. If you see one deer on a roadway you can almost be assured that more are close by. Be on guard when travelling wooded roadways and through neighborhoods, as humans and deer now live closer together than ever before.

These are just a few of the dangers that fall brings to the traveling public and while it’s certainly a season to enjoy, it’s also one to increase your vigilance on the road. Safe travels out there and a joyous and beautiful autumn to you from all of us here at Lopez McHugh!