Tread Separation Season
2009 June 25
A recent article reminded me of one of the more common mistakes we encounter from the media and others investigating accidents. A San Antonio Express article detailed a rollover accident as such:One person was killed in a single-vehicle accident on the far Southwest Side Wednesday evening, authorities said. The tire of a brown SUV blew out around 5:30 p.m., causing the vehicle to flip three or four times on Interstate 35 south near Shepherd Road, south of Loop 1604, according to Bexar County officials.
The article calls the tire event a “blowout.” A blowout is typically defined as a sudden deflation of a tire. While I have no idea about how or why this accident occurred, I do know that the hot summer months usually bring an increase in accidents precipitated by tire events.
In particular, the hot summer months are when many tire delamination/detreads occur. Most people are familiar with these tire events from the Ford/Firestone debacle a few years ago. An article at Automedia.com gives a simple overview of this problem and how the heat of the summer contributes to the frequency of these problems.
If you suspect someone you know was injured or killed as the result of a tire incident, encourage them to immediately contact a competent attorney for advice. It is extremely important to do this quickly.
