It’s impossible to understate the importance of tires in automotive safety. They’re obviously a vital part of any functioning vehicle. While some car components, like seat belts, are only intended to keep passengers within a single vehicle safe, tires play a role in keeping every driver on the road safe. A tire failure caused by a defect can result in multi-vehicle accidents that have the potential to injure everyone in the vicinity.
What’s worse, it’s not always immediately clear the tire and not the driver was at fault. If you were involved in an accident caused by a defective tire, it is important for your own liability to speak with an attorney experienced in defective tire cases. We’ll thoroughly investigate your situation and any available evidence in an effort to show your tire’s failure was a result of a defect and not your own actions.
Tread separation: This occurs when the tread of the tire detaches from the tire’s body, making it entirely incapable of maintaining traction on the road and completely compromising a driver’s ability to safely operate their vehicle.
Sidewall failure: Weaknesses or defects in the tire’s sidewall can cause it to rupture or blow out, resulting in a sudden loss of air pressure and a potential loss of control.
Bead failure: The bead is the part of the tire that helps it stay mounted on the wheel rim. If the bead fails, the tire can come off the rim, leading to a driver losing control and braking ability.
Manufacturing defects: Poor-quality materials or manufacturing mistakes can lead to weaknesses in the tire’s structure, making it more susceptible to failing at the worst possible time – when you’re driving in traffic at a high rate of speed.
Design defects: We’d like to think that poorly designed tires don’t make it to production and aren’t installed on vehicles. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case. Poorly designed tires may have shortcomings like insufficient reinforcement or improper tread patterns, both of which can dangerously reduce performance or increase the likelihood of tire failure.
Tire defects can cause crashes by:
Crashes caused by tire failure can take nearly any form because losing a tire while driving at high speeds can cause virtually any type of accident. Drivers lose control over their vehicle and the ability to effectively brake after a tire catastrophically fails. Tire blowouts can also potentially lead to rollover accidents, which are particularly dangerous for passengers, drivers and other motorists and pedestrians on the road.
Some common types of injuries associated with tire-related crashes include:
As a driver, you do have a responsibility to inspect and maintain your vehicle’s tires and replace damaged or worn tires when appropriate. However, there are many scenarios where a tire defect isn’t obvious to motorists, leading to catastrophic and extremely dangerous accidents without any potential warning.
The team at the Buckeye Law Group know how difficult this situation can be. Getting the blame for an accident you didn’t cause is extremely stressful and unpleasant, but you can count on our Cincinnati attorneys to be there for you. We’ll work tirelessly on your behalf. Call us at 1-800-411-PAIN for a free case evaluation.