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Car Accident Law – Defective Tires
Though Tires are Meant to be Durable, Human Error Makes Nothing Perfect or Infallible
Unless they need immediate attention or suddenly fail, just how often do you think of your tires: not much? We thought so.
Very few understand how complex today’s vehicle tires are. Many think of them as little more than “just another car part,” and nothing more. And though a tire might seem a simple device that rarely comes to mind, it is actually a very sophisticated mechanism in both the way it functions and how it is created. Tires must put up with a lot of physical stress, such as extreme heat and cold, unforgiving road conditions, unexpected extreme driving hazards like sudden starts, stops, and violent maneuvers to avoid the many unforeseen dangers found on today’s roads and highways. More info on this website
Tires are made up of a wide variety of materials that are fused-together through the very sophisticated heat treatment process known as vulcanization. Their complex material makeup (rubber, steel, and heat-resistant fabric), molecular structure, and construction methods notwithstanding, an awful lot goes on into the design and creation of your tires, much more than you might think.
Consider the life of the lowly tire for just a moment. It might further inspire you to steer clear of that next pot-hole infested street and find an alternate route. Think about your tires when you must make a sudden, violent swerve to avoid something in the road or have to suddenly stop on a dime to prevent rear-ending the driver in front of you who also suddenly stops-short. What nails or screws that find their way into your tread without your knowledge? You know it happens all the time. The life of a tire is filled with daily hazards. Even if it is a marvelous and very durable invention that most of the time is designed and manufactured correctly, if it is defective or improperly serviced, it could be a tragedy waiting to happen, on your car or the one headed your way.
Automotive engineers design their tires to perform as your car’s “fifth spring.” It is considered a spring due to its natural tendency to absorb and release the energy that regular contact with the road causes. This spring-type elasticity makes them behave much like the heavy springs that make up every car’s suspension system. We simplify this important fact because, unlike those metal coil or leaf springs, your tire does not have what is known as a “fixed spring rate,” which is a mathematical formula used in determining its ability to absorb road or driver-induced stress.
Depending on the tire’s physical condition, it may behave like a “good spring.” It helps support your car’s aversion to rolling (or lean or yaw when you corner or suddenly change lanes). But your tires can also behave like a “bad spring.” And this can have a significant, sometimes disastrous, effect on the way your vehicle handles. It feels “soft” or “mushy” when you drive normally or react quickly, and can encourage your car to roll. “Bad spring” tires can make a vehicle look like its ever-so-slightly crabbing to one side as it drives down the road.
For decades our Law Firm has helped many victims and their families of defective tire, blowout, or rollover accidents. If you or a loved one has suffered from such an accident, you should call us today at 1(800) 862-1260 (toll-free) to arrange for a free consultation with our team of experienced accident injury lawyers. We are adept at representing victims of wrecks caused by defective tires and blowouts. We can answer any of your questions about the specific details of your case and help you on the road to recovery.
