You may view getting a flat tire as more of a hassle to repair or replace than anything else. This is because it is usually a slower air pressure loss that you may be able to identify and address before it becomes a bigger issue. However, a tire blowout may be more of a dangerous problem, as it may actualize as a sudden and explosive loss of air pressure. This causes the tire to essentially burst and then significantly impact your control over your vehicle. You must do everything to avoid experiencing a tire blowout while driving. So, with that being said, please read on to discover your responsibilities as a driver to avoid a tire blowout on the roads and how one of the seasoned Bergen County auto accident attorneys at McNerney & McAuliffe can help you fight back if you get injured from another driver’s blowout.
What are my responsibilities to avoid a tire blowout on the roads?
As the owner and operator of a standard motor vehicle, you hold a certain threshold of care in maintaining your vehicle for yourself, your passengers, and your fellow drivers sharing the roads. For starters, you are supposed to drive below the enforced speed limit at all times, but especially on unpaved or bumpy roads. This is because speeding on such poorly maintained roads may cause damage to your tires, wearing down the tracks enough to eventually prompt an unexpected blowout.
In a similar sense, you should always remain alert when behind the wheel. This is so you may identify large potholes or other potentially dangerous debris cluttering your lane, and give yourself enough time to safely change lanes and avoid driving over them. That is, running over potholes and debris is a leading cause of tire blowouts.
Last, but not least, it is in your best interest to routinely inspect your tires for any visible wear and tear. This may even involve consistent trips to the gas station to fill air in your tires and keep their properly inflated. And also, making annual or semi-annual appointments with a car mechanic, where you should always oblige to their advice of replacing your worn-out tires and more.
How might a tire blowout cause injuries and damages?
While you may do your part in maintaining your vehicle’s tires and driving safely, other drivers on the road may sadly not uphold their duties in the same way.
That is, another driver may experience a tire blowout, grow panicked, and lose reasonable control over their vehicle. With this, they may swerve into you and cause you to enter a sideswipe, rear-end, head-on, or T-bone collision due to no fault of your own. On top of this, flying fragments from their exploded tire may strike your vehicle, causing you further injuries and damages.
Therefore, if such a sequence of events happens to you, then you may be able to hold the other driver accountable in a personal injury claim.
If you have any outstanding questions yet to be answered, please ask one of the competent Bergen County personal injury attorneys. Anyone at McNerney & McAuliffe is willing and able to offer the support you need.
