A Car Has Hit A Pole – What Should You Do Next?
Car accidents that involve a lighting or utility pole are a fairly common occurrence, particularly in inclement weather and slippery road conditions. A vehicular crash that strikes a lighting pole can cause various levels of destruction. Speed, the size of the automobile, and the health status of the lighting asset before the incident are just a few of the factors that may contribute to the overall final damage to the pole.
When dealing with damaged commercial, retail, and athletic field lighting, most property owners are aware of several different repair strategies to salvage their capital assets. However, this is often not the case in the public utility sector. Most utility companies and municipalities assume that a total pole replacement is their only option after a collision.
Yes, replacing a broken utility pole does offer a potential solution to a broken fixture issue. However, installing a completely new asset can be extremely expensive. Worse yet, at times a replacement may even prove cost-prohibitive, resulting in no action being taken at all. Instead, the damaged pole is often simply removed without a replacement, leaving the original pole spot vacant for months or even years.
What to Consider After a Car Hits a Pole
Remediation Often Proves a Viable Solution for a Broken Power Line
Fortunately, after a car accident, electric service companies do have other options beyond a complete pole replacement. Often, third-party utility pole contractors that specialize in remediation and repair strategies can prove an ideal solution for lighting assets damaged in a crash. Working through the utility pole maintenance and remediation process with an outside specialist yields several exceptional benefits, including:
Turnkey Solutions
Perhaps the most significant advantage of using a third-party contractor for broken utility poles is that a qualified provider will serve as a one-source lighting maintenance resource, offering everything needed to get an asset functioning as quickly as possible.
Cost Efficiency
Typically, repairing a utility pole is far more cost-effective than replacing it. A qualified outside contractor will carefully assess the structural integrity and overall damage of the pole (or poles) that have been struck. From there, they will systematically develop a remediation plan that rebuilds the pole back to working condition.
User Convenience
Replacing the pole generally requires shutting down electricity for varying lengths of time, causing stress and inconvenience for all users. The power outage can be prolonged based on a multitude of factors, including the need to reroute electricity as well as having to manage construction in a densely populated area. An outsourced utility pole maintenance provider can often restore the structural health of the fixture with no power service disruption for a seamless user experience.
Future Maintenance and Upkeep
Most importantly, consulting with an outsourced third-party structural specialist for a broken utility pole means that your provider will offer a wide range of maintenance services that extend far beyond the initial remediation needs. An experienced vendor will have a full suite of structural component inspection and power line maintenance capabilities to determine the current health status of every light within your organization. Routine evaluations can prolong the lifespan of your fleet of poles and identify a potential threat before it becomes a major issue. Most importantly, consistent lighting assessments can help mitigate the risk of a broken shaft, as well as the danger of an unexpected injury to passersby.
Want to hear more about our extensive list of utility pole remediation services? Contact Exo today.
Get Started with Exo
Ready to Work With Us?
Our team would love to talk to you, so we can learn about your lighting company’s goals and primary areas of concern. Contact us today, and we’ll help you take the first step in creating a comprehensive lighting asset management program. Give us a call at 281-259-7000.
