Tire Failure Truck Accidents

As the major transportation hub for the entire southeastern United States, Atlanta, Georgia is home to an incredible amount of truck transportation, and the area sees its share of devastating trucking accidents as well. Most semi-truck accidents are attributed to driver-related causes such as the use of over-the-counter or prescription drugs, speeding, fatigue, inexperience, and the pressure to deliver cargo as quickly as possible. Still, about one in every ten truck accidents is attributable to a vehicle-related cause, including insufficient braking capacity, a dangerous shift in cargo, and tire or wheel failure. Whether a tire was defective when made or sold, or failed due to improper maintenance by the truck driver or trucking company, it’s important to have the best legal representation to thoroughly investigate the event and recover compensation for injuries.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is responsible for preventing commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries. FMCSA regulations for transportation of hazardous materials require the driver to inspect each tire at the beginning of each trip and each time the vehicle is parked. The agency has also found that tire issues are among the top ten potentially fatal risks for motor coach operators.

Truck drivers and trucking companies should inspect tires regularly and replace old, worn or bald tires before they become a danger. Worn or bald tires affect traction and braking ability and are more susceptible blowout, which can lead to loss of control and a collision with another vehicle.

Tire failures may result from numerous causes, including:

• Aged tires
• Bald tires
• Cargo loads over the tire load carrying capacity
• Overheated tires
• Using the wrong kind of tire for the vehicle or the route
• Driving on damaged or worn out tires
• Improperly inflated tires

Like many products, tires have a useful "shelf life," after which time they should not be sold. A tire which is more than six years old, even if it has never been used, should not be sold or installed on a vehicle. While the average consumer cannot tell how old a tire is by looking at it, retailers know the age of a tire from the manufacture date encoded on it. Retailers may be responsible to pay for any damages which result from the sale of a defective tire.

When a truck accident is caused by a tire failure or blowout, it can be difficult to determine the cause of the failure, and the responsible parties may try to deny their responsibility and shift the blame to other parties or other factors. For complicated trucking accident cases, you need an experienced personal injury attorney who knows how to investigate an accident, determine its cause, and hold the guilty parties responsible for their negligence or wrongful conduct. In Atlanta, the legal team at Katz of Katz Personal Injury Lawyers is known for having the resources and dedication to effectively handle the most challenging and serious semi-truck accident cases. Call us today at (404) 460-0101 for a free consultation.