Tire pressure and tire tread are important to your safety, as well as other road users’ safety. For example, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 738 fatalities on the road in 2017 were caused because of tire-related crashes. Many of these fatalities were easily preventable had the driver kept proper care of their tires by using the manufacturer’s recommended tire pressure, rotating their tires when necessary, and throwing out and replacing tires with tread worn down to 2/32 of an inch.
It is particularly important to check the tire pressure and wear on tires for passenger vans and other vehicles that are at higher risk for rollovers. A general rule of thumb, according to Utires, is to rotate your tires every 5,000 to 8,000 miles. Tires should be inspected to ensure that the tread does not fall below the NHTSA’s recommended 2/32nds inches. Tire pressure should also be monitored, as underinflated tires not only reduce your gas mileage and increase your carbon footprint, but can lead to serious safety issues, such as a loss in maneuverability and increasing braking time.
Tire maintenance/wear is so impactful to driving safety that it can actually be detrimental to your claim if it is proven that your tires contributed to the collision. Because Florida is a pure comparative negligence state, even if the other driver was clearly at fault, you could be held partially liable as well. For example, if a driver cut you off by pulling out in front of you from a side street, resulting in a rear-end crash in which you had the right of way, the driver may only be held 90 percent liable if they can prove that the condition of your tires contributed to 10 percent of cause of the crash. As such, your claim’s value would be reduced by 10 percent (the degree of your own liability). The same can be true the other way around: the other driver’s bad tires may have contributed to the collision, increasing their degree of liability.
Sometimes it is not the driver’s fault that a tire blew out or that they lost control due to a tire issue. Defective tires are one of the most common types of product liability claims when it comes to traffic collisions. It is the manufacturer’s responsibility to produce quality tires that meet certain safety standards, and when a tire is defective, the injured victim has the right to sue the manufacturer.
If you were involved in a collision, an attorney can help you file a lawsuit against the negligent party, whether you or the other party had worn out tires. The San Jose personal injury attorneys at the Solution Now Law Firm can help you recover your damages relating to medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, property damage, and more. Call us today to schedule a free case evaluation.
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