A mud flap assembly for a vehicle includes a mud flap and a mud flap bracket. The mud flap is attached to the mud flap bracket. The mud flap bracket is in turn attached to the vehicle by an attachment means so that when the mud flap is pinched between a tire of the vehicle and a fixed object resting on the ground, the mud flap bracket and the mud flap are moved and/or deflected substantially uniformly downwardly toward the ground in order to prevent damage to the mud flap, the mud flap bracket and the vehicle.