Truck Accidents Caused by Retread Tires and Other Tire Failures
Truck accidents are one of the most dangerous types of vehicle accidents because the size and weight of the truck and its trailer puts every other vehicle on the road at a distinct disadvantage. That means a truck accident could have devastating consequences for other vehicles and their occupants. Those consequences could lead to serious injuries and an extremely damaged vehicle, both of which could be very expensive to take care of. There are many different reasons why truck accidents occur, some of which involve driver error such as driving while fatigued or speeding.
However, some truck accidents are caused by mechanical failure and the tires are usually one of the parts that can fail. When that happens, the driver can lose control of the truck, which could lead to an accident. If that happens, then the victim should be compensated for their losses by the party responsible for the tire failure. Anyone who was in a retread accident or any other accident caused by the failure of a truck’s tires should contact a truck accident attorney to get the help that they need.
Tire Retread Truck Accidents
It is common practice in the trucking industry to take old worn-out tires and apply a new tread onto the casing. This saves the trucking company money since truck tires are very expensive and it is cheaper to retread old tires than to buy brand new ones. In most cases retreaded tires are as safe as brand new tires when the retread is done properly. However, if the party responsible for the retreading did a substandard job, then the retreaded tire might fall apart while the truck is being driven, which could cause the driver to lose control and cause an accident.
If an accident does occur because a retreaded tire failed, then the retreader can be held responsible for the accident. Since all retreaded tires are required to have a DOTR number identifying both the retreader and the time of the retread, the party responsible for the accident should be easy to find.
Other Types of Truck Tire Failures
Tire retreads are one of the top causes of tire failure in trucks, but they are not the only ones. The following are some of the other things that can cause a truck tire to fail:
Underinflated Tires – When a tire is underinflated it has less grip and traction than one that is properly inflated. That means common manoeuvres like braking, accelerating, and turning can cause the tires to fail.
Overweight Cargo – An overloaded cargo can affect the handling of the truck in a negative way, but it can also have an effect on the tires as well. If they are put under too much strain, then they might wear out prematurely and make the truck more difficult to control for the driver.
Road Hazards – Potholes, debris, and other obstacles in the road are a bane for every driver and truck drivers are no different. A road hazard can cause damage to a truck tire and cause it to fail even if the tire was in good condition before.
Structural Defects – This is a problem in the manufacturing of the tire itself rather than one that was caused by an outside source. A defective tire could lose its tread or suffer an unexpected blowout. In cases where a structural defect causes an accident, it is the tire manufacturer and not the trucking company that should be held accountable.
Truck Tire Failures Can Cause Serious Accidents
Poorly done tire retreads and other types of tire failures are dangerous in general, but are even more dangerous when they occur on a truck. When a tire fails, it is difficult for the driver to maintain control of the vehicle, which is why an accident is a possibility when that occurs. If a tire failure happens on a truck, then the accident possibilities are even more destructive and dangerous.
That is why anyone who has been in a truck accident that was caused by a tire failure needs to get in touch with a truck accident attorney. They can identify the party that was at fault for the failure and get them to provide the victim with the compensation that they deserve.
