What Kind Of Automobile Accidents Can Happen Due To Your Tires?

There are many things that cause automobile accidents each day. Included in this list are your tires. Tires are an essential part of your vehicle and must be kept in good condition to help avoid accidents. Tires that are under or overinflated or worn down can lead to an accident. Therefore, it’s important to keep tires properly inflated based on manufacturer recommendations; inspect tires frequently; rotate tires periodically; and replace your tires when the thread is worn. Keeping tires in good condition will help you to avoid accidents and it’s the responsibility of all drivers to do just that. 

Another important factor to consider is manufacturing defects. Unfortunately, defects are all too common these days and while you may be doing everything right to keep your tires in good condition, you could have defective tires and not even realize it. And sadly, tire defects can cause a tire to blow out while you’re driving, leading to a devastating accident that could result in injury or death. You can check for tire recalls online through The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI), an office within the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Types of Accidents Caused by Blowouts

When a tire blowout occurs, the driver can lose control of the vehicle. Obviously, this poses a serious threat to the driver and passengers as well as others on the road. The vehicle can collide with other vehicles, sometimes head on. Collisions of any kind can cause serious injury or death to those involved in the accident but head-on collisions are especially dangerous. Other times a blowout may lead to a rollover. This is when the vehicle rolls or flips, sometimes multiple times, putting everyone inside the car in grave danger. Rollovers occur more often in vehicles with a higher center of gravity like SUVs.

Checking Tire Pressure

Keeping tires at the proper pressure can help prevent blowouts. Read your vehicle’s owner’s manual to learn the proper tire pressure for your car and learn to use a tire gauge. Many vehicles now have a tire pressure monitoring systems but these usually warn you when your tire pressure is dangerously low. It’s important to keep your tires from reaching this point. Learn to use a tire gauge (digital ones are available) and keep it in your vehicle. Check tire pressure regularly—at least once per month and before long road trips—for all four tires. Do this even if your tires look properly inflated. Unless tire pressure is really low, you may not notice that your tires are underinflated. (Remember to check your spare tire too!) It’s best to check your tire pressure when your vehicle has been parked for at least a few hours.

Contact an Auto Accident Lawyer

At Lowman Law Firm, we hope that you are never involved in a devastating car accident due to tire blowout. But if you ever are, we will be here to help. Whether you were harmed in a collision caused by another driver or you were in an accident due to a tire defect, we can help you get the compensation you deserve. We all have a responsibility to be safe on the road. The same goes for tire manufacturers. We think manufacturers have a duty to sell safe tires and will do everything we can to hold them accountable if they don’t. If you or a loved one has suffered injury or death due to a tire defect, or at the fault of another driver, call Lowman Law Firm today to speak with an experienced auto accident lawyer about your case. Call: 1-800-9-LOWMAN (toll free) or 352-796-0016.