It’s an ordinary day of driving or maybe you’re on the interstate starting a long-awaited vacation. Suddenly, you have a tire blowout and all attention frantically shifts to maintaining control of your vehicle. Blown tires or tread separation can happen that fast. In these situations, the best scenario is to have the ability to slowly pull off the road and avoid a rollover accident. Sadly, a safe pull over is oftentimes not how the story ends.
Causes of Tire Tread Separation
Tire tread separation or tire blowout can result in the loss of control over your vehicle, creating a high potential for a catastrophic automobile accident. Several factors may contribute to tread separation (also known as belt separation) with one factor being old rubber. Tires have a typical shelf life of six years. Rubber dries out over time leading to cracks and weakness. When purchasing new tires, always check the manufacture dates. A good rule to follow when purchasing tires is to make sure they are not more than four years old.
However, tires do not need to be old in order to fail. While the majority of passenger tires are steel belted radials which claim higher performance, they are not fail-safe. Proper quality control in tire design and manufacturing is essential as defects can result in a blowout or belt separation potentially ending in a tragic or deadly accident. Tire defects are not unique to any one manufacturer. Typically, a recall is issued but not always. Sometimes, innocent people get seriously hurt before a recall is considered.
Avoiding Tire Blowouts & Tread Separation
To help ensure safe tire performance, it is important to know and maintain proper tire pressure and proper weight limits for your vehicle. Too much or too little tire pressure as well as excessive weight can increase the amount of heat your tires generate as they grip the road. While tires are designed to “take the heat”, too much heat, especially in a defective tire can result in catastrophic injury. Driving in hot climates also increases the temperature of your tires. Southern states have a higher occurrence of tire tread separation. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates 400 people die each year from tire failure. Because tire defects are not obsolete, many of these accidents are through no fault of the driver.
Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys – Defective Tire Accident Cases
When faced with a car accident from a defective tire involving catastrophic injury and perhaps loss of life, having a personal team of knowledgeable and compassionate lawyers working with you can be of great comfort. Elrod Pope Accident & Injury Attorneys has a well-respected reputation built on helping those who cannot help themselves in matters of the law. If you or someone you love has suffered injury or death as a result of tire failure, please contact us. Someone on our professional staff will be pleased to be of service you.
