Who Can Be Responsible for a Defective Tire in a Truck Accident?
Posted in Truck Accidents on December 24, 2019
When you are driving on the roadway, there is a good chance you will end up driving near a large truck. Large commercial vehicles can weigh as much as 80,000 pounds, and driving safely around them is important. However, there are times when crashes happen due to a large truck’s defective tire. You may wonder who is responsible for these incidents.
What causes tire blowouts on large trucks?
Tractor-trailers and other large trucks have multiple tires. The increased number of tires helps keep the truck stable on the roadway by spreading out the pressure of the total weight of the truck. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), there were approximately 148,000 people injured and 4,761 people killed in large truck crashes during the latest reporting year in the US. Truck defects cause many of these injuries and fatalities, and tire defects are one of the most commonly cited causes of fatal truck crashes.
A tire blowout can cause the driver of a large truck to lose control of the vehicle. When control is lost of an 80,000-pound vehicle, serious truck accidents are often the result. Blowouts can cause the vehicle to aggressively veer to the side and cause the truck to cross lanes of traffic. Blown out tires can also impact vehicles themselves, causing serious accidents. In some cases, a driver does not know they have lost a tire until they make a rest stop.
Some of the most common causes of tire blowouts include:
- Overloaded trucks. When truck drivers and companies exceed the allowable weight limit, tires may not be able to handle the load.
- Roadway hazards. Damaged roadways, potholes, and other objects in the roadway can cause a tire blowout.
- Small punctures. A small puncture in a tire may go unnoticed during an inspection, but this can cause low pressure over time and stress the walls of the tire.
- Defective tires. There are times when a tire is poorly manufactured, making it more likely to sustain a blowout.
Who can he held liable for a tire blowout?
Some of the parties who could be liable for a tire blowout include:
- Truck company. Truck companies assume the liability for most accidents caused by their drivers or trucks. In some cases, companies push their drivers to continue operating despite suspected defects in tires. Many companies fail to properly inspect their vehicles regularly.
- Truck driver. If a truck driver fails to properly inspect their vehicle regularly, ignored the rules of the road at the time of the crash, or responded inappropriately to the blowout, they could be held liable for a crash.
- Tire manufacturer. A tire that is defective when it leaves the factory is dangerous, and the manufacturer could be responsible for a blowout accident.
- Tire distributor. Most of the time, a tire is sold to the trucking companies through a distributor who may not properly store the tire or check the quality of the tire before selling it to the customer.
- Mechanics who installed the tires. Many truck companies use third-party mechanics for maintenance and tire installation. These mechanics could be responsible for not noticing tire defects or for improperly installing the tires on the truck.
Contact a Nashville Accident Attorney
If you or someone you love has been injured or sustained property damage due to a large truck defective tire, you may need to seek legal assistance from a Nashville truck accident lawyer. Securing the compensation you are entitled to can be complex.