Precautions to Avoid Tire Blowout
You never want to be driving on defective tires, and it becomes even more important as the weather heats up. The first thing you can do to protect your self from a blowout accident is to find out if your tires have been recalled. Tire recalls are issued far more frequently than you may think. Most of them do not make the news.
Next, how old is your spare? If you have had your tires replaced recently, due to a recall or just because it was time, the spare may have been overlooked. And, since you don’t use it, it probably looks great. But that is deceptive. Tires become brittle with age even when they have no wear.
Speaking of old tires, if you are planning to hit the road in an RV that is parked most of the year, better check the age on its tires too. Tires should be replaced every six to 10 years depending on the manufacturer.
In addition to the age of your tires, you need to make sure that you have the right tires for your vehicle, especially on your RV, and even if your RV is fairly new. RV manufacturers have been known to install improper tires, tires that are not rated for the vehicle, leading to deadly blowout accidents. Tires are rated for specific weights and speeds.
Check your tire pressure regularly, with a real tire gauge. If your vehicle is equipped with sensors and alerts you to low tire pressure, that’s great, but don’t rely on it. those systems don’t kick in until your pressure is extremely low. Use a good tire gauge and do it when your tires are cold. Your car should have been parked for at least three hours before you check it.
If you believe your blowout accident was caused by faulty tires,
contact an experienced product liability attorney and schedule your free
consultation.
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