There are a lot of driving situations that feel dangerous. Taking to the road in heavy traffic can be nerve-wracking. One fear motorists have is sharing the road with truckers.
Motorists often cite various reasons for that. One reason that few cite is concerns about tire blowouts. These are completely avoidable when truckers take the necessary precautions during their pre-trip inspections, such as monitoring the pressure in their tires.
How much of an issue are tire blowouts?
Some of the most recent data surrounding tires was published in 2019 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Those statistics show that tire failures are to blame for at least 200 deaths and 11,000 crashes each year in the U.S.
Other data published by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) suggests that there are more along the lines of 33,000 accidents attributed to tire issues annually in the U.S. The NTSB says that at least 2,000 of them are attributable to blowouts.
What are some primary causes of tire blowouts?
Transportation analysts point to poor maintenance and speed as the two most likely causes of tire blowouts. Previous research shows that the older or more worn tires are, the more likely it is that they will experience a blowout. Speed puts added stress on tires, increasing their risk of a blowout — especially the closer a motorist’s speed approximates 75 miles per hour.
Factors such as the following also increase a trucker’s blowout risk:
- Overbraking
- Inflating tires too little or too much
- Extreme temperatures (particularly heat)
- Installing tires with varied wear patterns
- Potholes
- Installing differently sized tires from manufacturers’ recommendations
Tires may also experience blowouts if their manufacturing is poor.
Truckers can quickly lose control of their loads when these types of incidents occur, leaving many surrounding motorists vulnerable to suffering serious injuries or losing their lives. Washington state laws may allow you to recover compensation when you unexpectedly suffer injuries in a crash.
