Submitted by Aiken Jacobsen on
Many people who drive on California highways can recall seeing shredded truck tires at one time or another. Blown tires can happen to anyone driving but bigger trucks and commercial trucks in California are much more likely to blow a tire and leave the remaining bits and pieces stranded on the highway.
While many drivers have safely driven around these shredded blown tires, they can pose a serious hazard on highways, especially for motorcyclists. With summer in full swing and the temperatures rising, motorcyclists and other motorists may want to more cautious when driving on California highways to make sure blown tires don't cause them to be in a trucking accident.
The California Department of Transportation says that to clean up the debris caused by trucks' blown tires, DOT workers have to pick up the debris by hand and that they stay pretty busy trying to keep the highways free from blown tire debris.
What causes trucks to blow their tires? Trucks' tires are more likely to be blown out due to how often the trucks are on the road and the heavy size of their trucks. In addition, to save money many truck companies use a process called retreading after a tire blows instead of replacing the entire tire. Retreading involves shaving down the old tires and attaching and sealing on a new exterior.
Retreading can save money but the "new" tires are more likely to rip apart while driving on the highway, especially during warmer temperatures because the adhesive that holds the treads together lose the adhesiveness when it is warmer.
Heavy trucks can create serious hazards and accidents on the road if they have a blown tire. Truck drivers can be held liable for a blown tire that causes an accident that results in an injury or property damage because they are responsible for properly maintaining the truck before they operate it.
Victims of car accidents caused by a truck's blown tires should consult a personal injury attorney to discuss their specific case.
Source: The Sacramento Bee, "Truckers' blown tires are roadway hazards," Jack Newsham, July 10, 2013
