As the summer heat increases on Texas highways, so does the risk of having an accident due to a tire blowout. According to a 2003 NHTSA report, an estimated 414 fatalities, 10,275 non-fatal injuries, and 78,392 crashes occurred annually due to flat tires or blowouts before tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) were installed in vehicles. The TREAD act mandating use of tire pressure monitoring technology went into effect for vehicles sold after September 1, 2007. As a result, many lives have been saved, but accidents and deaths continue to happen.
A tire blowout driving at high speed can result in the loss of control of the vehicle, resulting in an impact against another vehicle, a road barrier or any other object on or near the road. These accidents, although not perfectly 100% preventable, can be reduced by taking care of important safety and common sense routine checks of your vehicle.
Check for thread wear
Before engaging on a road trip, always make sure your tread looks good on the inside and outside walls of your tires, especially your front tires. Do a visual inspection at least once per month and turn the wheels so you can also see the wear on the inside wall of your tires. We recently had a colleague experience a front tire blowout where the thread looked good on the outside, but the inside was in terrible shape. Also check your alignment periodically as this can affect the wear on the thread of your tires.
Check tire pressure
Running your tires at the recommended manufacturer’s PSI is a must. You need to make sure your tires are not underinflated, or over inflated. Any wide variation of the recommended PSI can affect how the tire performs and can make the tire more likely to blowout due to improper pressure.
Avoid driving in peak temperatures
Even though a tire on the road will heat up regardless of the outside temperature, it makes sense to avoid driving on hot asphalt when the road surface is at its hottest point. It just makes sense to avoid if possible driving at high speeds during the hottest part of the day.
Drive at a reasonable speed.
When pursuing reaching your destination, make sure you plan ahead and give yourself enough time to arrive at the time you desire. Driving at high speeds, and over the speed limit to reduce travel time can result in less control of your vehicle and also more liability in the case of an accident, whether it is your fault or not.
If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident involving a tire blowout, you have the right to a full investigation. And those rights need to be protected and defended. It is important that the victims of tire blowout and 18-wheeler auto accidents have the best available resources to them to make sure that they are represented by an experienced personal injury attorney that can represent them to receive the maximum amount of compensation possible for their accident injuries and / or loss of life. At The Leon Law Firm, our job is to get to the bottom of the facts and hold those responsible for your injuries accountable for their wrongdoings.
Contact The Leon Law Firm immediately for a confidential and complimentary tire blowout injury case evaluation. If we take on your case, you do not have to pay us a single penny unless we win for you. Over the last 23 years, we have helped hundreds of accident victims get compensated for their accident injuries and we may be able to help you too. Give us a call today 281-980-4529 or visit our website at www.TheLeonLawFirm.com.