Keeping your vehicle in good working order is essential to staying safe on the road. This includes your tires, too. Although it’s common knowledge that driving on bald tires is unsafe, serious car accidents from worn tires happen every day. The Team at Stanley Law believes that educating yourself about these risks can help you avoid car accidents altogether from worn tires
The Importance Of Tire Treads
Tire treads are made up of meticulously designed channels and grooves on the surface of the tire. Treads give tires the traction necessary to steer and control a vehicle, even in dry conditions. Tire treads also enable you to keep control of your vehicle when it’s raining, snowing, icy, or muddy. The grooves and channels in a tire force water away, which allows the tire to keep a solid grip on the road, even in inclement weather. Driving on bald tires is dangerous enough in dry conditions, but if it’s snowing or raining, the results of a car accident from worn tires can be deadly.
Dangers Of Driving On Worn Tires
Bald tires are one of the leading causes of car accidents: 738 fatalities occurred in 2017 from tire-related motor vehicle crashes, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Several factors can contribute to car accidents from tires that are worn or bald, including:
Excessive heat build-up. Driving creates friction between the road surface and your tires, which also produces heat. Tire treads allow air to flow in between the channels, which helps cool the tires. Although tires can usually withstand high levels of heat, if they’re bald or worn, too much heat can cause a blowout and lead to a motorist losing control of their vehicle.
Hydroplaning. When a layer of water gets between tires and the road, a vehicle may start to hydroplane, or slide uncontrollably. This can result in the loss of steering, braking, and power control. The deep grooves in tire treads direct water away from tires, which enables them to keep a firm grip on the road in rainy conditions. Over time, the channels become shallower, which makes them less efficient at whisking water away from the tires.
Losing control when driving in snow or on ice. Extremely worn or bald tires should be avoided at all costs when driving in the snow. Driving on snow- or ice-covered road can be dicey, even with brand-new tires that are designed for the task. Most snow tires have sipes, which are hook or bracket-shaped grooves cut into the edges of the treads, that provide extra traction. As the tread wears away, so do the sipes. Getting your tires checked every season is critical to ensure you can handle whatever kind of weather comes your way.
Low air pressure. Bald tires lose air faster than tires with adequate tread depth. When worn or bald tires become underinflated, they can’t grip the road correctly. This can make it more difficult to steer and cause your vehicle to skid during quick stops.
Risk of puncture. Although some tire blowouts are unavoidable, good treads help reduce the risk of tire puncture while driving. Bald tires are thinner, which makes them more vulnerable to being punctured by random items, such as nails or glass on the road.
Maintaining Your Tires Keeps You Safer On The Road
All of these scenarios can cause serious motor vehicle crashes that can lead to catastrophic injury or death. Neglecting your worn or bald tires puts you and everyone else on the road at risk for car accidents. Check the tread on your tires monthly using a tread depth tool or a penny. It’s easy to tell if you need new tires — put the penny in the tread upside down. If the top of Lincoln’s head is showing, you need new tires. If a portion of his head is covered by the tread, your tires are still good. Because you never know what’s just around the corner, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your tires and replace them, as necessary.
Contact A Car Accident Attorney To Learn More
If you’ve been hurt or have lost a loved one in a car accident you believe was caused by negligence, such bald or worn tires, don’t go it alone. At Stanley Law Offices, we’ll leave no stone unturned when investigating your case. Our skilled and compassionate legal team is there for you and fights to recover the maximum award you need and deserve. Your initial consultation is always free. Contact us online or call 800-608-3333 or 800-372-3760. Our offices are conveniently located in Syracuse, Binghamton, Watertown or Rochester, New York, and Montrose, Pennsylvania. Se habla español.
