How Tires Cause Auto Accidents
Any time you’re in an auto accident, you need to know the cause of the accident for proper reimbursement for medical and other expenses.
A car accident lawyer considers many issues regarding the car crash, and one of the issues is tires. There are two ways that tires cause accidents:
- The person that hits you has over-worn tires that blow out.
- Your tires (or the tires of the person who hits you) are defective.
Regardless of the cause, an auto accident injury lawyer uses information about tires in proving fault for a car accident.
Tires that cause accidents
You may be a victim in a crash that is caused by another person’s tire blowing out. If that’s the case, then an auto accident injury lawyer can help. Once fault is established, the car accident lawyer is able to recover costs for medical bills, car repairs, pain and suffering, and lost wages.
Tire defects
We frequently read about recalls from tire manufacturers. The tire may be found to have substandard material, have a defective design that causes treads to separate, or other issues related to the manufacturing process. Car accident lawyers take many cases on behalf of people who are injured as a result of unsafe tires. You may not know that you have defective tires until it’s too late. Pay attention to tire recall notices and take care of any replacements as soon as possible.
How to prevent an accident from a tire blow-out
You don’t want to be responsible for causing an accident. So take the following precautions:
- Make sure that your tires are properly inflated. Improper inflation is a hazard, and weather affects tire pressure, so you should check tire pressure frequently. To determine the correct tire pressure, you can take your car or truck to a tire store, or check the levels yourself. See the owner’s manual, tire purchase documents, or look online for your tire manufacturer to see the correct pressure for your tires.
- Keep an eye on tire treads, watching for uneven or excessive wear.
- Don’t overload the car or truck. Overloading puts excessive pressure on the tires, and you may need to adjust tire pressure for the load.
- Avoid potholes. Poor road conditions, when hit just right, will blow out your tire.
- Keep a safe distance between your car or truck and the car or truck in front of you. If you have a blow out or need to avoid road hazards, you need ample space and time for reacting safely.
What to do if you have a blow out
Here’s how to handle the car to maintain control and minimize damage:
- Don’t slam on your brakes. Sudden braking with one less functional tire will cause the car to spin out. Keep the car going forward at the same speed, controlling the steering by counter-steering to offset the blown tire.
- Slow down and pull over to the side of the road once the car stabilizes.
Contact us if we can answer questions about your rights when you are in a car accident.
