The Dangers of Truck Tire Blowouts

Although tire blow-outs are dangerous for all drivers, they can have devastating consequences when the tires are located on large tractor-trailers. Tractor-trailer tire failure is especially dangerous when trucks are traveling at high speeds on the freeway, as they are more likely to cause serious truck accidents involving multiple vehicles and severe injuries.

What Causes Tire Failure?

There a number of reasons why a truck tire might fail, including:

• A defect in the tire itself;
• Inadequate maintenance; and
• A failure to inspect tires prior to beginning a trip.

The simple step of inspecting tires prior to a trip could prevent hundreds of accidents every year. In fact, truck drivers are required to inspect their tires regularly to ensure that:

• The treads and sidewalls are not worn;
• There is no tread or sidewall separation;
• None of the tires are flat or are audibly leaking; and
• None of the tires have any cuts or punctures.

Drivers are also instructed on how to load their vehicles, so as to prevent overloading, which can put excessive pressure on tires and lead to tire failure. Finally, drivers and truck companies must ensure that their vehicles are equipped with the correct tires and that all tires meet the minimum tread depth requirement. Tire failure is much more likely to occur when a semi-truck has mismatched tires.

When a tire itself is defective, it is the responsibility of the manufacturer to issue a recall and replace the defective part. If a truck company is aware of a recall, but fails to have the tires replaced, it can still be held liable for resulting injuries. However, if a manufacturer fails to recall the tires, it can be required to compensate the victim for the cost of his or her injuries.

The Consequences of Tire Failure

When industrial-sized tires fail, the amount of air pressure released combined with the weight of the truck can cause a driver to lose control of the vehicle and veer off course and into other drivers on the road. Furthermore, because semi-trucks are so large, sometimes weighing upwards of 80,000 pounds, when they crash it is much more likely that they will collide with more than one other car. For instance, a tire’s failure can cause a driver to lose control of the truck and jackknife across several lanes of traffic, striking multiple vehicles. These multi-car pile-ups are notorious for resulting in serious injuries, largely as a result of the number of impacts and vehicles involved. Treating the types of injuries sustained in truck accidents can be extremely expensive, which makes it especially important for injured parties to collect compensation from the negligent driver or truck company.

Contact us Today to Speak With an Experienced Truck Accident Attorney

If you were recently involved in a truck accident, it is critical to speak with an experienced attorney who can protect your interests. Please contact Lafferty, Gallagher & Scott, LLC by calling 419-241-5500 today to learn more about your legal options.