Tire Defect

The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) performed a test regarding driver reaction to a tread separation. “One hundred and eight (108) subjects experienced two tire failures while driving on a straight divided highway at approximately 75 mph with light surrounding traffic. The first tire failure was unexpected. The second tire failure was expected, with half of the subjects being given specific instructions on how to respond to a tire failure and the other half were told only that one or more tire failures would likely occur.” In its testing, NHTSA found that 59 of the 108 participants (55%) lost control of the vehicle when faced with an unexpected tread separation. Even when told that a tread separation would occur during the testing, 22 of the 108 participants (20%) still lost control. http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov

Tire defects occurring in the way a tire is designed or manufactured can result in a tire tread separation. As the NHTSA study demonstrates, tire tread separation at highway speeds can cause a rollover. These rollovers are often deadly or result in serious injury. The tragic effects of these tread separations can be avoided by simple, inexpensive additions to the tires such as nylon overlays. These overlays, shown below, can prevent a separation from becoming a tragedy. They can prevent the tread from separating from the rest of the tire and the often fatal consequences that follow.

A family trip for a cousin’s Quincienera ended in just such a tragedy when the tread of the right rear tire suddenly separated causing a rollover which ended a promising young man’s life. The inexpensive nylon overlays which have proven effective in preventing similar tragedies were not used on the tire that came apart. As a result of the rollover, a mother and father faced every parent’s worst nightmare, burying their child.

Knowing they could not let the death of their son go without seeking justice, the family began looking for help. They went to other lawyers who looked at their case and told them they could not help the family. Then the family found us. We were willing to take on the large tire manufacturer and engage in the fight that these companies always engage in. Not only were we willing to engage in the fight, we were able to win it and obtain a successful resolution for the family.