Motor vehicles of all types pose potential hazards when driven by careless or inconsiderate drivers, but bad drivers are not the only cause of serious car accidents. Sometimes defective vehicle equipment or poor maintenance can equally contribute to serious accidents involving passenger vehicles, SUVs, tractor-trailers (commercial trucks), 15-passenger vans and other vehicles. The tires of a car, truck or SUV are one of the most important safety components of any motor vehicle.
Defective tires can result in dangerous tire blowouts that cause vehicle rollovers, particularly in vehicles prone to rollover accidents like SUVs and 15-passenger vans. Manufacturing defects often cause tread separation which can result in drivers losing control of their vehicle. Tire blowouts are a leading cause of certain types of accidents including lane departure accidents, run off the road accidents and rollover accidents. While there are multiple factors that can contribute to a tire blowout, such as improper tire pressure, worn or weathered tires and tire defects, many times a tire blowout accident is the direct result of a tire manufacturer’s failure to produce tires that are free of defects and safe to install on motor vehicles.
Tread separation is a common cause of tire blowout accidents in Mississippi. Most tires on motor vehicles are steel belted radial tires. When the tire tread separates from the inner portion of the tire, it can cause the tire to blowout. Though steel belted radial tires are the most popular variety of tires, the risk of tread separation is inherent in the process of manufacturing these tires. Defects in steel belted radial tires can be the product of both design and manufacturing defects. A fundamental issue with steel belted tires is that rubber does not naturally adhere to the steel belts. Tire manufactures coat the steel with copper to facilitate the rubber adhering to the steel belts. However, copper degenerates quickly creating a risk of tire separation.
Tread separation and tire blowouts are particularly dangerous when a driver is operating a vehicle that tends to be top-heavy because the vehicles are prone to rollover when a tire on the vehicle blows out. When a person is involved in an accident caused by a defective tire, a driver may have legal recourse to pursue financial compensation against anyone in the production or distribution chain for the tire. Mississippi product liability law permits liability to be imposed on a designer, manufacturer, distributor or retailer of defective tires based on negligence, strict liability and breach of implied or express warranty. If the defective tires were installed on the car when you made your new car purchase, you may even be able to pursue a claim against the automaker.
If you or a loved one has been injured or you have lost a loved one in a Mississippi car accident caused by a tire blowout, our experienced Mississippi car accident lawyers at Barrett Law represent clients throughout Mississippi so call us today for a free no obligation initial case evaluation at (662) 834-2376. Our law firm has roots that reach back over 75 years helping car accident victims in Mississippi just like you.