The Dangers of Tire Blowouts

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, nearly 650 motorists lost their lives in tire-related crashes in 2023. Tire blowouts can happen anywhere and at any time, making them some of the most sudden and dangerous events that can occur on the local roadways. Whether you’re driving through downtown Columbus or cruising along I-70, a blown tire can lead to devastating crashes in just the blink of an eye.

With approximately 11,000 tire-related crashes taking place on American roads every single year, it is vital that local motorists understand the importance of proper maintenance and the potential legal implications for crashes involving tire blowout. Let’s take a closer look at the many dangers posed by tire blowouts on public roadways and explore how an experienced car accident attorney can help injured victims get justice for a tire-related crash.

What is a tire blowout?

A tire blowout occurs when a vehicle’s tire suddenly loses air pressure and bursts. Blowouts tend to happen when vehicles are moving at high rates of speed and can cause drivers to lose control of their vehicles, veer into other lanes or spin out entirely. While blowouts might not sound that serious, it’s not uncommon for a tire blowout to spark a domino effect that can lead to multi-car pile ups, rollovers or other serious collisions.

Everyone gets the occasional flat tire, but blowouts are different. Because these incidents tend to occur when vehicles are traveling at higher rates of speed, tire blowouts can have particularly devastating consequences – not just for the driver of the affected vehicle but for other motorists and pedestrians in the vicinity. Luckily, tire blowouts can be prevented with the right combination of knowledge and maintenance.

What causes blowouts?

Tire blowouts rarely happen out of the blue, and these incidents are largely preventable in most cases. Some of the most common causes of preventable tire blowouts include:

• Improper tire inflation: Incorrect tire pressure places added stress on tire walls. Underinflated tires flex excessively during use, which can weaken their structure over time. Overinflated tires, on the other hand, are more susceptible to blowouts caused by debris or potholes because of the excessive air pressure.
• Bald tires: Tires with low tread are more prone to punctures and heat build-up, which can make them more likely to burst over time.
• Overloaded vehicles: Vehicles that exceed their weight limits – particularly commercial trucks and vans – place extreme pressure on tires. If companies or drivers ignore load ratings or fail to distribute weight properly, the tires may buckle under the added weight.
• Manufacturing defects: While inadequate maintenance is often to blame for blowouts, there are some cases in which a tire was faulty from the start. Defective materials, design flaws and quality control issues can all contribute to premature tire failure, putting drivers and other motorists at an increased level of risk.
• Poor maintenance: Drivers have a responsibility to regularly maintain their vehicles. Failing to rotate tires, inspect them regularly and replace them as necessary can all increase the chances of a dangerous blowout. Insufficient maintenance often plays a role in crashes involving commercial vehicles, as companies with large fleets may be more likely to cut corners when performing maintenance on their vehicles.

With the exception of cases involving manufacturer defects, individual drivers generally have a high degree of control over their tire performance. Staying on top of vehicle maintenance and engaging in best practices for safety can help drivers extend the life of their tires and prevent potentially dangerous tire-related incidents from taking shape on local roads.

What makes blowouts so dangerous?

In a vacuum, tire blowouts might not sound that dangerous. In reality, however, these incidents can have dire consequences because of where and how they typically occur. On highways like I-71 or Route 315, traffic moves fast and space is limited, which means a single blown tire can trigger a chain-reaction crash. Even if the driver of the affected vehicle is able to safely pull over after a blowout, the shredded rubber can scatter across multiple lanes of traffic and create dangerous obstacles for other drivers.

In larger vehicles like semis, a blown tire can cause even more significant accidents like jackknifing or rollovers. In extreme cases, these accidents can lead to hazardous spills on roadways that create even more significant public safety concerns. Remember: Any individual or systemic failure to properly maintain a vehicle or its tires could constitute negligence under Ohio law and serve as the basis for a claim of liability.

Liability in tire blowout accidents

Determining liability in a blowout-related accident can be tricky because these accidents often include multiple parties. Some of the parties involved in blowout-related claims may include:

1. The driver
2. The vehicle owner
3. The employer or trucking company in cases involving commercial vehicles
4. The tire manufacturer
5. A repair shop or individual mechanic

In the aftermath of a blowout-related accident, injured parties and their legal representatives must carefully consider all potential sources of liability in their case. For example, if a motorist is injured in an accident caused by shredded rubber in the roadway, the injured driver may have cause to file a claim against the driver whose tire blew out IF they can demonstrate that the blowout was the direct result of the vehicle owner’s failure to adequately maintain their tires. Alternatively, a driver whose accident was caused by a defective tire may have cause to file a claim against the tire manufacturer or distributor if the accident occurred as the direct result of the defect.

A skilled car accident lawyer can help their clients by conducting a thorough investigation into the role a tire blowout may have played in their accident. Experienced car accident lawyers can build a case for liability by examining tire remains, reviewing maintenance records, viewing CCTV and dashcam footage, collecting information about manufacturer recalls and known design flaws and more. Experts may also be brought in to provide additional information about the role of a tire blowout in an accident and to add veracity to a victim’s claims for compensation.

Steps to take after a blowout-related crash

If you’re involved in a crash caused by a tire blowout, it’s important to take immediate action to protect your safety and begin laying the framework for a potential injury claim. Here is a step-by-step overview of how you should proceed following a blowout-related accident:

Step 1: Call 911 and seek medical attention.

Step 2: Document the scene by taking pictures and/or video of the crash site, blown tire, skid marks, debris, damage and injuries.

Step 3: Collect contact information from any witnesses at the scene.

Step 4: If your own tire blew out, preserve it rather than discarding it.

Step 5: Speak to law enforcement at the scene of the collision or (for accidents involving less than $1,000 of property damage or personal injuries) file an accident report online. If there were no police present and the crash involved over $1,000 in property damage or any injuries, file a report with the BMV using the Ohio Motor Vehicle Crash Report (Form BMV 3303).

Step 6: Contact a Columbus car accident lawyer as soon as possible to assess whether you may have cause to file a personal injury claim related to the blowout.

Once you have completed all of these steps, you may find yourself in the position to file a claim for compensation related to your crash. An experienced car accident attorney can help you determine whether another party’s negligence played a role in your accident and begin taking the necessary steps to help you fight for the compensation you deserve.

Final thoughts

Tire blowout cases often involve multiple layers of liability and can pose a variety of legal challenges for accident victims and their representatives. Nevertheless, whether a blowout was caused by poor vehicle maintenance, improper tire filling or manufacturer defect, accident victims shouldn’t have to suffer the consequences of another party’s negligence.

At Soroka & Associates, we pride ourselves on delivering comprehensive, compassionate legal support for accident victims in Columbus and the surrounding areas. We have the right combination of knowledge and experience to help clients build effective cases for liability in blowout-related claims and fight for the economic and non-economic damages they deserve.

If you or a loved one was injured in a tire blowout crash and you suspect individual or corporate negligence may have been to blame, don’t wait to seek legal advice. Give us a call today or fill out our contact form for a free consultation with a member of our Columbus-based team, and let’s take the next step together in your fight for justice.