Tire Blow out

The consequences of the loss of tread on just one of your tires can be quite serious, as a blow out can cause serious accidents and injury. Sudden loss of tire pressure, or blow outs, at freeway speed can result in loss of control of your vehicle, causing the vehicle to pitch or yaw, whereby the car will turn perpendicular to the roadway.

In many cases, if the skid is not corrected, this can rip the bead of the tire off, resulting in the rim of the wheel digging in to the road. If it catches on certain things like curbs, grass, ruts or other obstructions, the car can easily flip, rolling over, possibly causing great injury, or even death to drivers and passengers alike.

Tire Recalls

It is very important to be aware of not only the state of your tires’ integrity, but also of any tire model recalls. There have been many major tire manufacturer recalls in the past two decades, involving top tire manufacturers such as Bridgestone, Cooper, Firestone and Goodyear. Talk to a knowledgeable tire service representative or do your own research in order to find a safe tire model that’s the least likely to blow out on you. Of course, replacing tires every year to two years is the best way to insure that you will not suffer a blow out.

Most major tire manufacturers have had recalls of their products. Bridgestone, Cooper, General, Goodyear, Yokohama, Continental, Firestone and Kelly Springfield have all had tire recalls. Find out if your tire model and type have been recalled, and get a free replacement from the manufacturer. Don’t be stuck out on the open road with defective tires. Next to brakes, tires are the most important safety aspect of your automobile, so do not underestimate the importance of having quality, properly inflated tires with adequate tread on your car. Thirty percent of the cars and light trucks on the road have had at least one tire that was underinflated by at least 8 psi, according to a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) survey.

Causes

Many tire blow outs aren’t necessarily solely the fault of the manufacturer, if optimum tread is present. There are more hazards than ever on the roadway, and even the finest quality tires will suffer failure due to things like nails, glass, chuckholes, metal debris, hot pavement and other factors. Safe driving practices and being ultra-aware of every event on the roadway is also good insurance against the dangers of a tire blow out. Paying attention to the road, other drivers, as well as the age and integrity of your tires won’t absolutely prevent a blow out, but it's the most you yourself can do.

How to Drive Through a Blow Out

Your initial reaction upon hearing the loud bang of your tire exploding might be to slam on your brakes. This is not the proper course of action, however. Slamming on your brakes just accelerates the problem, ironically, and will cause you to lose control even faster. As most sudden blow outs occur at high speeds, you’ll want to apply even, gradual pressure on your brakes, after steering slightly in the opposite direction of the skid. If your car starts to pitch to the left, steer slightly right, apply even pressure on the brakes, gain control of the vehicle, then immediately pull off to the shoulder. Paying attention to your surroundings is key to dealing with a tire blow out, so check side and rear view mirrors regularly.

Tire Blow Out Personal Injury Cases

Unfortunately, tire blow out injuries and deaths number in the thousands each year in the United States, as do personal injury cases stemming from such accidents. It’s a very frightening prospect, to be traveling down the highway feeling safe and secure, and suddenly your car dangerously skids sideways with you or your loved ones quite possibly headed for bodily harm or death due to a faulty or damaged tire. Manufacturers are legally obligated to provide compensation for a faulty tire, if it can be proven it suffered structural failure prior to contact with any “aggravating” object.

If you or a loved one has experienced an injury or car or property damage due to a tire blow out, fill out a case evaluation form today. Our team of attorneys has experience specific to complications associated with tire blow outs and other defects. Not only can they give you the legal guidance you need, they can help you get the compensation you deserve.