Prior to the invention of tire pressure monitoring systems in 2003 hundreds of thousands of crashes occurred each year due to flat tires or blowouts. Although the invention of these monitoring systems has greatly improved the safety of motor vehicles, tire blowout and failure is still common despite the fact that it is mostly preventable. According to data collected by the NHTSA in 2005-2007 approximately 9 percent of crashes , or 189,917 crashes annually, are attributed to tire related problems. But lets first look at what causes these crashes.
One of the most common reasons tires fail is because they are under inflated. Tires that were under inflated by 25% make up approximately 10% of all tire failure. Vehicles whose tires were under inflated by 25% or more were more than 3 times as likely to get in to an accident than a vehicle whose tire pressure was at the recommended level.
Drivers who are unfamiliar with the car they were driving or who were driving cars that had at least one low tread tire were also much more likely to have a accident due to tire failure. A tire with low tread that failed made up 26% of all tire related failure. Dangerous roadway conditions increased the likelihood of tire failure, with 11.2% of tire related failures linked to roadway conditions. Additionally the rear tires of a vehicle seem to hold the most importance- cars whose rear tires failed were much more likely to lose control and veer in to oncoming traffic.
Tire related failure can be mostly prevented by regular maintenance. It is recommended to visually inspect your tires daily and to check the pressure with a tire gauge once a month. If a tire is visually under inflated- it is dangerously low. Also be sure to check for nails and holes or anything else that could compromise the tire.
If you were the victim of a tire related car or truck accident in West Virginia, you may be entitled to damages for your injuries. A personal injury attorney specializing in car accidents will be able to provide the legal knowledge and expert analysis to see that you are compensated for your injuries.