Texas & New Mexico Personal Injury Lawyers

Tire De-Tread Accidents: Preparing Your Tires for the Summer Heat

Tire treads are the textured pattern your tires are wrapped in, ensuring they grip the road properly and provide drivers with the necessary traction. There are times when this tread peels away from the tire and can cause threatening situations. If the tread comes away from the tire, that vehicle might lose control since there is no traction to keep them firmly in place on the road.

The Main Causes of Tire Tread Separation

There are various reasons that tires may separate. If your car tires were defective, you should not be held responsible for the resulting damage. Speaking to an auto defect lawyer with Farah Law can help protect your rights.

Below are the five most common reasons for tire tread separation and what you can do to prevent it.

Manufacturer Defects

Sometimes, tire manufacturers make mistakes or use material deemed faulty when making tires. If this happens to your tires and the tread separates, there could be a problem caused by the manufacturer.

Defective tires can cause the rubber not to adhere correctly to the steel of your tires. If this defect is present, the tires can detread more quickly than expected and can cause a dangerous situation.

Tires are not Properly Inflated

If tires are underinflated, this can cause the tire treads to separate. Always make sure that your tires have the proper amount of air in them. Some cars have a sensor that will alert you of low tire pressure. In other cases, check regularly to make sure your vehicle’s tires remain properly filled.

Tires not filled with enough air can speed up the wearing process, causing them to separate sooner than they typically would. Periodically refilling your tires with air, as needed, can help prolong your tires' life.

Flat Tires That Are Incorrectly Repaired

Another reason for tire detread accidents is that they can be caused by tire repairs that are not done as soon as they should be. Improper maintenance, like having a leaky tire patched incorrectly, can lead to car accidents if the repairs are not done correctly.

If the tire repair is done incorrectly, the tire tread can separate. Professionals should do tire repairs. Repairs are not a “set it and forget it” job. They should be inspected regularly to ensure the patch or the repair holds.

Rough Rides

Tire detread accidents can also be caused if the tires are experiencing rough rides. This could mean excessive, frequent, and hard braking. While this could be caused by the vehicle operator’s poor driving habits, it could also be caused by necessity.

If the driver has to brake extremely hard to avoid a crash, or if someone else is driving aggressively, the driver could be forced to drive rougher than they normally would. This can decrease the tire’s ability to hold the tread together.

Overused Tires

Tires should last a while, but ultimately, they must be replaced fairly regularly so they are safe to drive. The longer a car has the same tires, the more likely the tread is to separate and show signs of excessive wear. This is seen even more often when the car is driven at higher speeds or in high temperatures.

A good rule of thumb to use is to check your tires at each oil change. Practicing a little extra caution can help you to avoid the threat of accidents due to overworn tires.

The Dangers of Tire De-Treading

Tires have tread to provide traction. If a tire lacks tread, it could easily experience a blowout. When this happens, you can lose control of your vehicle and spin or hydroplane in wet conditions. Without tread, there is no traction which means your car cannot function normally.

When tires lack tread, the following can happen:

  • Vehicles cannot turn safely
  • Stopping is made difficult, especially when the road conditions are slick
  • Slowing down does not happen as quickly as it should

Regularly inspecting your tires and making sure they have plenty of treads is a good way to avoid these driving issues. Drivers owe it to themselves and other drivers on the roads to avoid car accidents where possible.

Blowouts Might Equal Compensation

A defective tire can blow out and cause the driver, their passengers, and others they share the road with to experience significant injuries. If this happens because the tire was problematic due to a manufacturing issue, the manufacturer might be responsible for the damages those affected sustained.

Speaking with an attorney experienced with automotive defects can help you determine the liable party and cause of your auto collision. If your tire was defective and the tread separated because of this defect, you may be entitled to compensatory damages. Reach out to an auto defect lawyer today to help determine what damages you might be entitled to receive.

Types of Damages

You might be entitled to damages if you were injured in a detreading accident. There are three types of injuries that you might be awarded, including:

  • Economic damages: Economic damages cover the damages that are easy to put a price tag on, such as medical costs, property damage, the cost of therapy, lost wages, lost educational opportunities, loss of future wages, home alterations, and upgraded vehicles that function best for disabled people.
  • Non-economic damages: Non-economic damages are harder to calculate but make up the bulk of what most accident victims in personal injury cases receive. They are made up of things like loss of enjoyment of life, pain and suffering, scarring and disfigurement, and loss of consortium.
  • Punitive Damages: Punitive damages are not to compensate injury victims for any losses they may have experienced, but are instead designed to punish the wrongdoer for negligence or wrongful behavior. These damages are awarded to punish the defendant and to deter them and / or others from repeating similar behaviors.

Contact Us Today for A Free Consultation

If you or a loved one has been injured because of a tire detreading incident, contact us for help. Our experienced personal injury attorneys can help you pursue the damages you are entitled to while protecting your legal rights. Reach out to Farah Law today to pursue the compensation you are entitled to receive.