It is a danger every driver faces.  One West Branch couple learned from experience Wednesday, road debris can turn into a dangerous projectile.

Around 8 a.m., Buena Vista Township Firefighters responded to the scene of an accident on southbound I-75.   When they saw the car, they feared the people inside had suffered devastating injuries.  A large exhaust pipe had crashed through the front window toward the two people inside.

“It didn’t look good,” said Fire Chief Thomas Lynch.

When firefighters looked inside the vehicle, they were relieved to learn that somehow the passenger and driver were uninjured.  The pipe went in at the perfect angle, just missing them.

Buena Vista Township Fire Chief Thomas Lynch says this accident should serve as a reminder that drivers should report debris in the road to 911 dispatchers.

The Federal Highway Administration says road debris contributes to as many as 25,000 crashes and 80 deaths a year.