Most Defective Tires Remain on the Road

Most Defective Tires Remain on the Road

When was the last time you inspected your tires? While it is recommended that car owners check their tires monthly, most don’t. Life has a way of getting busy and checking tread wear and tire inflation don’t often make the to-do list.

Tires are an important aspect of any vehicle. They keep us rolling smoothing down the road and when we have to brake hard, a good tread can stop us sooner. Checking that our tires are properly inflated and have sufficient tread can keep our car investment safe. But how do you check for a defective tire? Unfortunately, other than through a recall, there’s no way to tell whether a tire will be defective. We can only do our part to maintain the tires we have and to check our tires after a recall.

Defective Tires Can Cause Car Accidents

An improperly manufactured tire increases your risk of having an accident. Tires made with subpar materials, low treads, with leaks, or other defects can make handling a vehicle difficult. There is also the possibility that such a tire will have a blowout, causing a driver to drive into another vehicle or flip off the road.

So how big of a problem is this exactly?

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, tire problems cause approximately 33,000 car accidents a year and result in the death of 500 motorists. When a tire recall is initiated because of a defective tire, only 1 in 5 is removed from the road. That means 80% of defective tires are still on the road.

But the real problem with these defective tires is that we don’t know they’re defective until it’s too late.

How Do You Know If Your Tires Have Been Recalled?

Once a tire has been found to be defective, a manufacturer may issue a voluntary recall. Sometimes you’ll hear about one of these on the news. But have you ever checked your tires afterward or received an email or letter from a tire manufacturing warning you that you may be at risk? Probably not.

With so many recalled tires on the road, you’d think there would be a better system for contacting owners. Unfortunately, in order to be made aware of whether your tires are part of a recall, you either have to check the recall website and your tires or register your tires after purchase. Very few people do this. It may be better if tire registration is mandated during installation. That way shops selling recalled tires and consumers who have purchased recalled tires would be contacted via mail or email.

If you think you may have recalled tires on your vehicle, you can search the database on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website. This website also allows you to search for other vehicle recalls and to report problems you may have experienced.

Who Is Responsible for Tire Defects?

Product liability law highlights three areas where a product defect may occur. A tire that is poorly designed, that suffers from poor manufacturing, or that is not sold with proper safety information may be considered defective under product liability law.

In addition to these product defects, a tire defect could be caused or made worse by improper installation by a mechanic. Because mechanics are seen as professionals specializing in the care and repair of cars, this could legal ramifications under the malpractice aspect of personal injury law.

A Tampa Defective Tire Lawyer Can Help You

If you have been in a car accident that you believe was caused by defective tires, it is important to speak to Tampa personal injury lawyer as soon as possible.

A Tampa personal injury lawyer can help investigate your accident and assist in determining the root cause. In addition, a personal injury lawyer who is well-versed in product liability and malpractice will be able to help you decide who may have been responsible for your accident.

A car accident can be a scary experience. A car accident caused by a defective product—one you trusted to take you and your family safely from point A to point B—can be even scarier, shaking your trust in automakers and tire manufacturers. Let a skilled Tampa personal injury lawyer help you reclaim your life and get back on the road.