Defective Tires

Trucking accidents are often caused by mechanical problems. One of the most common truck accident causing problems are defective tires.

The long, heavy strips of tire debris that are seen on the roadways and highways around Illinois are usually from semi-trucks that have had tire blowouts. The most regularly identified cause of blowouts is tire failures. Defective tires can occur because the tire manufacturer sold and distributed a supply of defective truck tires. As the same with a truck’s air brakes, defective truck tires are often recalled by the manufacturer for replacement at no cost to the trucker or trucking company. Truck drivers should regularly check with the Department of Transportation which maintains a record of recalled truck tires. This information can be found on the DOT website at www.odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/recalls.

If a truck company chooses not to maintain tires on the tractors and trailers that it places on America’s highways and roadways, it can be held liable for resulting crashes leading to injuries and death of other motorists or its drivers.

Air brakes are the most common type of brakes used in large trucks, but the tires on these trucks can withstand only so much heat caused by the friction with the pavement. At a full stop at 60 mph, the truck’s brake drum temperature rises to about 600 degrees. That is the highest heat limit for safe tire truck operations. So if the tires and brakes are not properly maintained, the brakes can overheat and malfunction as would the tires fail and separate.

Other common truck tire maintenance errors that are committed by trucking companies include:

  • Allowing drivers to use truck tires that do not meet the minimum DOT tread depth;
  • Mounting mismatched tire sizes or mixing tires that are of different levels of wear;
  • Mixing tires types on the same axle of the truck.

Each truck driver is required by Illinois state and federal law to do a pre-trip inspection of the truck. This includes checking tire pressure, tire tread wear and strength. It happens in truck accidents that a tire that is worn or damaged may lead to a blowout and result in loss of control of the truck and trailer.

Too often truck companies chose not to inspect or maintain the truck and trailer tires and braking systems which can lead to mechanical problems that cause truck crashes and collisions.

If you or someone you know or love has been involved in a truck tire blowout accident in Illinois, please call us for an immediate free consultation. Robert Kreisman of Kreisman Law Offices has been handling Chicago and Illinois truck cases for more than 40 years.

Kreisman Law Offices has prevailed in trials and settlements in Chicago, Illinois and surrounding areas and successfully resolved cases for severely injured clients for over these many years.

With our years of experience in trying and settling truck tire blowout accident cases, Kreisman Law Offices provides the best possible services to our clients and have achieved unsurpassed results. Our service is unmatched. Please call us 24 hours a day at 312.346.0045 or toll free 800.583.8002 for a free and immediate consultation, or complete a contact form online. There is no charge for a consultation that will include an evaluation of your case, assessment of your damages such as lost income, lost wages, medical and hospital bills, past and future pain and suffering, loss of normal life and wrongful death.

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