When you think about the hundreds, if not thousands, of vehicles that you share Arizona roads with over an extended period of time, you might wonder how many times you’ve been at great risk for collision due to other drivers’ negligence. How often, however, do you think about other drivers’ vehicle tires, in particular, whether or not they have taken available measures to maintain tire safety on the road?
A tire blow-out can lead to sudden collision that results in serious injuries. If you’re like most people, you might automatically think that design defect or other manufacturer issues are the most common causes of tire failure. If so, you’ll be surprised to learn that nearly 100 percent of tire failure is avoidable and typically has more to do with a vehicle owner than the company that made or sold the tires.
Car maintenance is a key factor toward tire safety
Some people rarely get their vehicles checked out and, thus, place themselves and others in danger when they get behind the wheel in a car that needs repairs or tire replacement. The following list includes the most common types of problems that lead to tire failure that are easy to avoid through proper car maintenance:
- If your car’s suspension is out of whack, it can cause a serious tire safety issue known as shoulder cupping. This is an uneven wearing on tire treads that signifies a serious mechanical problem in your vehicle’s suspension system.
- Tire alignment is also a high priority when it comes to tire safety. If a vehicle owner drives a car with misaligned wheels, it can have serious, adverse effects on the vehicle’s tires.
- Too much sidewall flex can cause a sudden blow-out. The easiest way to avoid this problem is to make sure you keep your tires properly inflated at all times, as under-inflation typically causes flex problems.
- Pinch shock is another serious tire issue that occurs if a vehicle traveling 50 miles per hour or more suddenly hits a large pothole in the road. It can cause sudden tire compression, which can result in chunks of rubber coming off a tire or large splits occurring in the rubber.
While vehicle owners are responsible for maintenance, road hazards are another issue entirely. Federal, state and local governments and ordinances may oversee entities who are responsible for maintenance, upkeep and other road safety issues.
If you suffer injury in a collision
Who is liable if a roadway hazard causes your tire to blow out and that, in turn, leads to a collision that results in injury to you or your loved one? Who is liable if you or a family member suffer injuries in a collision that involved another driver’s tire blow out? There isn’t one definite answer to either of these questions. It all depends on the circumstances of an individual incident as well as the laws that may govern certain entities or situations regarding the Arizona location where your collision took place.
This is why many recovering accident victims seek legal support from personal injury attorneys who are well-versed in such laws and can help determine who may or may not be liable in a particular situation.
