Ohio Truck Accident Help
A Division of Ohio Truck Accident
Truck Accidents Caused by Defective Parts in Ohio
When truck tires fail, the weight of a massive vehicle can become uncontrollable. The NHTSA reports more than 12,000 truck accidents annually due to semi-truck tire blowouts. Many of these wrecks result in catastrophic injuries and death.
It’s important to understand the possible causes of tire blowouts and the devastating consequences of these accidents. Ohio Truck Accident Help can determine what happened in your truck tire blowout crash and help you get compensation for your losses.
Contact us to schedule a free, no-risk consultation.
A flat tire gradually loses air over time. But a tire blowout often happens suddenly when a tire loses pressure, causing it to burst or explode.
Both cars and trucks can experience tire blowouts, but the situation can be even more dangerous when commercial trucks or “big rigs” are involved.
A tire blowout frequently results in the vehicle losing control. The tread will typically detach, and the rubber may separate, leaving behind a damaged tire. Blowouts can also cause a chain reaction, and other vehicles around the tire failure also become involved in the accident.
The NHTSA reported that in 2021 there were 622 motor vehicle fatalities due to tire-related crashes. Additionally, tire blowout crashes result in more than 10,000 non-fatal injuries each year. Many of those involved trucking tire blowouts.
In a National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey, the NHTSA found that approximately 9% of all crashes involve one or more vehicles that experienced tire problems before the accident (in the pre-crash phase). That’s approximately 78,392 crashes annually due to blowouts. About 50% of those crashes were single-vehicle accidents.
The leading cause of tire blowouts is low tread depth (between 0 and 4/32”), which leads to approximately 26% of tire blowout crashes. That is closely followed by underinflation, which causes about 25% of tire blowout wrecks.
What causes truck tire blowouts? Several risk factors can lead to a dangerous situation on the highway for cars and trucks. Some of the most common tire blowout causes include:
Both underinflation and overinflation can lead to a blowout. Overinflated tires act like balloons and can pop with too much pressure.
Underinflated tires cause the tire’s sidewalls to bend and flex, exposing more surface to the road. This creates additional friction and heat, expanding the tire’s air. Sidewall damage can also compromise the integrity of the tire.
Tires should be properly maintained and replaced when they become worn. Driving on tires beyond their lifespan can result in tread separation, sidewall deformation, decreased tire pressure, and rubber blistering.
Manufacturing defects can lead to sudden blowouts. This may occur due to shoddy craftsmanship or machinery malfunctions. The tire would be considered a defective part.
The U.S. Tire Manufacturer’s Association offers a Tire Recall Lookup tool that can inform you about whether there are known defects on your tires. If there are, you should get them replaced immediately.
Nails, screws, wood, and other sharp objects can penetrate the rubber of your tires. Small punctures usually lead to a flat tire, which is often found before setting off on a trip. However, a severe puncture can lead to a drastic change in air pressure or a blowout.
Potholes and large bumps can cause tires to burst suddenly if you speed through the road hazard. This is more likely if your suspension is not working properly and your tires receive the brunt of the carload.
Commercial trucks are industrial machines that manage most cargo easily. However, there is a limit to the amount of weight the truck tires can carry. If an 18-wheeler is overloaded, there may be too much pressure on the tires, and they are more likely to experience tire blowout damage.
Some of the main ways that tire blowouts lead to accidents include:
Most car accidents are driver error; however, that is not always the case with tire blowout crashes. In many cases, there may be more than one financially responsible party.
Some parties who may be liable for a truck tire blowout accident include:
There are many intricacies of truck accident investigations. It’s important to get to the accident scene quickly and call a truck accident lawyer immediately after a tire blowout.
Your attorney can better access pictures and video of tire treads, skid marks, and the surrounding roadway. Most trucks have a “black box” that records things like speed and braking. This information will be essential in your case. Electronic logs regarding pre-trip inspections and maintenance will also be valuable evidence.
Understanding trucking regulations and industry standards is crucial when investigating a tire blowout accident. The NHTSA requires trucking companies to maintain trucks routinely, and truck drivers must complete pre-trip inspections, which includes looking closely at all tires. If these tasks and others are not followed, the parties can be held responsible.
Truck accident investigations often require the assistance of industry experts. Your trucking accident attorney can help you find the best people in the business to help you prove your case.
It is possible that all of these parties are partially to blame for your crash. Identifying all the people and companies who may be at fault is important. If you leave anyone out of the truck accident lawsuit, you may not get all the compensation you deserve.
Even if the truck driver did not know about tire problems, your lawyer can work with industry experts and accident reconstructionists to determine what happened. They will also request maintenance data and personnel records through the discovery process. Liability can be proven by finding out what caused the wreck in the first place.
Road conditions, such as potholes or cracks in the pavement, can cause a tire blowout. In such situations, a government entity may be held responsible for the wreck for failure to maintain the road properly. If this is not possible, it may still be possible to obtain money from your own insurance company or that of another negligent driver.
It’s essential to look closely at blown-out tires to determine if there is a defect. This is where your attorney can bring in an industry expert to review the information and evidence available and form an opinion about the cause of the blowout.
A tire blowout can lead to a devastating and even fatal crash. Most of these situations can be prevented with proper tire maintenance and replacement. Whether the tire was overloaded, over- or under-inflated, or simply worn down, there are parties who should be held liable for your damages.
If you were injured or your loved one died in a truck accident due to a tire blowout, the premier truck accident lawyers at Ohio Truck Accident Help are here. Contact us today for a free, no-risk consultation.