Why That Big Rig Near You Could Blow Out a Tire and Cause Serious Damage
You see it all the time—big chucks of truck tire littering the highway making driving hazardous. You wonder why this is such a common problem. How can truck drivers keep going with so much of their tire left behind? For one thing, eighteen-wheelers can afford to lose a tread or two that a four-wheeled car couldn’t. But why does it happen and what can you do to protect yourself?
Why Big Rigs and Their Tires Are Dangerous
Truckers put a lot of miles on their tires and replacing them is costly. A single truck tire can cost more than $600. To save money, truckers and trucking companies often retread the tires instead of replacing them. A poor retread can lead to a blow-out, creating dangerous debris across the highway. Likewise, high speed can cause extra wear and tear on tires as most truck tires are not designed to sustain speeds over 75 mph. Unfortunately, because of schedule restraints, truck drivers feel forced to drive faster than that and put themselves and those around them at risk for getting into accidents. Additionally, many of the roads they travel on allow for faster speeds, which can lure them into falsely believing that driving so fast is actually safe. Long stretches of use, especially in hot weather, can create excessive heat that can damage the rubber and also cause blow-outs. Unless the driver checks the condition of his tires often, he may not see signs of wear and tear and can suffer from a blow out or other tire issue while riding. If you are driving next to a big rig when they blow out a tire, you are at serious risk of a catastrophic accident.
Don’t Let Another Person’s Negligence Hinder You
If you’re injured in a big rig accident because the driver did not take proper care of his tires, you’ll likely owe thousands of dollars in medical bills now and down the road. If you don’t think you should have to pay these fees, you’re not alone, because we don’t either.
Attorney Steve Lee has helped many truck accident victims in Houston get the compensation they deserved, and may be able to do the same for you. Contact us today to learn more.