Tire problems causing Tampa car accidents

Driving on the roads in the Tampa Bay area can be difficult enough.  With all of our traffic congestion and tourists visiting our many attractions without being familiar with our roads, Tampa has its fair share of auto accidents.   Unfortunately, tires that blow out or go flat are another danger for drivers throughout the area.   It is important that you understand how tires can affect your ability to drive safely and result in car accidents in Tampa so that you will spend the time and give the attention necessary to make sure that your car’s tires are kept in safe condition.
One of the most common problems with tires causing car accidents in Tampa occurs when the tires are allowed to go bald. Especially in this economy, where people are trying to save money every which way they can, more and more drivers wait to replace worn tires. This is especially a problem in the Tampa Bay area where we get lots of rain, especially in the summer.   

Many car accident injury lawyers know from experience that operating a car on tires without treads can cause you to lose control of your car resulting in serious injuries.   Newer tires have deep grooves that can easily disperse water from underneath the tire allowing the tires tread to grab onto the road’s asphalt.  This creates friction that prevents the car from losing its traction. Without this displacement of the water through the grooves and the ability of the car’s tires to maintain traction with the roadway, the tires surface will ride on top of the water just like you were riding on top of ice.  Imagine trying to operate your car safely on ice and you get the idea of the problem created by bald tires.  It’s very easy to lose control of your vehicle and spin out of control.  When that happens you can hit other vehicles, trees, cement barriers all which will potentially cause you and/or others significant injury.  Braking to try and get your vehicle back under control is especially difficult when you’re your car is “hydroplaning.”  If you press on the brakes too quickly, your car can spin further out of control and even flip over making an already bad situation worse. 

So what should you do to reduce the risk that your tires will cause you to get injured in a serious Tampa car accident?   One thing you can do is check your tires every other month to make sure that they have sufficient tread.  An old rule of thumb for knowing whether your tires have sufficient thread is to place a penny between the tires grooves.  If the grooves don't reach the top of the head of Abraham Lincoln then it is likely time to buy new tires because your tread has been worn down past the point of being safe.   If your penny doesn’t have the head of Abraham Lincoln on it, it’s time to get a new penny. If your tread has reached this point you are more likely to be injured in a Tampa auto accident, especially during the rainy season.

Another issue with tires that cause car accidents in Tampa is not keeping your tires properly inflated.  Normally, tires should be inflated to approximately 35 PSI (Pounds per Square Inch).  The exact number can be found in either your car owner’s manual or on the tire itself and often times in both places. This is the number that your tire should be inflated to when the tire is cold.  After you drive your car for a number of miles and the air inside the tire heats up, the pressure in the tire will go up.  As a result, it’s best to check your tires’ air pressure first thing in the morning or soon after you begin to drive.

The problem with not keeping your tire sufficiently inflated is that it is more likely to blowout.  Imagine traveling US 19 in Clearwater on your way to work or I-275 in Tampa at night and your tire suddenly blows out.  This could very easily cause you to lose control of your car.  Blow outs can cause catastrophic injuries and can be easily avoided if you make it a habit to check your tire pressure. 

Another area of concern is defective tires. This issue of defective tires became a national issue several years ago when tire manufacturer Firestone announced a recall of its defective tires.  These defective tires were more likely to blowout causing very serious injury.  As a result of the Firestone defective tire recall, the public is certainly more aware now of this significant danger.  But what can you do about it?  Tampa injury attorneys will tell you that it makes sense to give consideration to the quality and reputation of the manufacturer of the tires you purchase.  Many people today purchase their tires on line in an effort to save money.  They’ll buy them on the internet and then go to a local service shop to have them put on the car.   But before you buy the tire and while you are on line anyway, you might do a little research on the manufacturer to make sure there are no complaints reported against the manufacturer.    Sometimes these companies on the internet may buy their tires overseas in places such as China that may not have the same standards for manufacturing tires that we have in the United States.   As a result, the quality the tires purchased on the internet is something that you should consider.  It may make sense to consider paying a bit extra for your tires whether on the internet or down the street so you can feel more comfortable that you and your family are safer from having a serious car accident Tampa that results in catastrophic type injuries.

If after reading this article you continue to have questions with regard to how tires can significantly impact the safety of your vehicle and how proper tire purchase and maintenance can help you avoid a potentially devastating Tampa auto accident, please feel free to call us and speak to one of our Tampa car accident lawyers. We can discuss with you in further detail the issues raised in this article, but also share with you some additional information that may be able to protect you and your family from significant harm in an auto accident. Feel free to contact us.