Did A Truck Tire Blowout Cause An Accident?

Were You Seriously Injured In A Crash?

Tire blowouts are incredibly dangerous no matter what type of vehicle the tire is attached to, but there is an added degree of risk and danger involved when they are attached to a massive 80,000 pound 18-wheeler. While the most common time for tires to blow is between May and October, it’s the responsibility of the driver and trucking company to keep a close eye on their equipment to ensure that there is no risk of it failing. When they neglect to do so, it puts everyone on the road at risk.

At Domina Law Group, our Omaha truck accident attorneys have represented clients across the United States, and through their tireless efforts have successfully recovered more than $2 billion in verdicts and settlements. Contact us today to speak with a member of our firm to learn what your next steps should be.

What Causes A Truck Tire To Blow?

Tire companies keep a close watch on their products and collect extensive data to determine exactly when and why things go wrong.

Even though they don’t share the specifics with the general public, they have released information about the most common causes of truck tire blowouts:

• Overloaded Vehicles - Federal regulations limit the total weight of 18-wheelers to 80,000 pounds for a reason – any more could put too much stress on the vehicle, including the tires. Smaller trucks have an understandably lower weight limit, but drivers and companies who overload their vehicles increase the risk of failure while on the road. Inflating their tires to the maximum limit may allow trucks to carry slightly more weight, but that just introduces a new set of issues to deal with.
• Overinflated Tires - Overinflating a tire may increase a truck’s carrying capacity, but it also puts quite a bit of stress on the internal components – the fabric, composites, rubber, steel, etc. – of said tire. If the driver keeps their tires inflated to the upper limit of what they can handle and fails to closely monitor the psi and structural integrity, their tires could eventually burst and cause a catastrophic crash.
• Underinflated Tires - Whether the tire has worn down to the point where it has difficulty staying inflated, the driver hasn’t paid close enough attention to the psi when travelling to colder climates, has simply forgotten to refill his tires, or any other reason, an underinflated tire causes its internal components to flex beyond what the manufacturer intended. A dramatically flexing tire generates far more heath through friction than a properly inflated tire, which can contribute to an eventual burst.
• Poor Road Conditions - Even if the tires are inflated perfectly, trucks travel thousands of miles every week and the damage from constantly hitting potholes and cracks in the asphalt builds up over time. It’s the responsibility of the driver and trucking company to ensure that their vehicles are properly maintained, and that includes frequently inspecting the tires to ensure that they won’t fail on the highway.
• Wear and Tear - Truck tires may be incredibly durable, but that doesn’t mean that they’re invincible. They need constant care, maintenance, and eventually replacement to make sure they remain in proper working order.

Hire An Experienced Lawyer Today

Contact the Omaha truck accident lawyers at Domina Law Group today if you were seriously injured in a truck accident. We will use our decades of knowledge and experienced to help you throughout the legal process in order to ensure that you secure the compensation that you deserve.