Brampton personal injury lawyers know that summer road-trips and vacations can turn into a nightmare when a tire blowout happens.

Traveling in summer can be dangerous because there’s much more traffic on the roads, the demographic includes a significantly larger number of young, inexperienced drivers and many more people driving under the influence of alcohol etc.

Transport Canada studies show that drivers need to take precautions to ensure that their tires are in good condition before they set out on the road.

Blowouts Are Extremely Dangerous

Did you know that there was a tire blowout season? According to Popular Mechanics, it runs from somewhere in mid-May through to early-October in the US. In other countries which experience extreme variations in climate, there is probably a similar time-frame when tire blowouts are more frequent.

The most dangerous blowouts are those involving large trucks and semis on highways. The entire tread can explode off an 18-wheeler semi in a single piece, or the tread can burst off the tire in a bunch of smaller bits. Either way, blowouts put other road-users at a huge risk. The vehicle becomes highly unstable and the driver loses control of it. It can turn turtle, cross lanes, hit or jump over dividers. In other cases, the cargo can work loose from its moorings, scatter across the road, posing a risk to oncoming and following traffic. If the material is hazardous, the risks become even more compounded.

Why Do They Happen?

Trucks crossing Canada’s vast network of roads may travel across heat-waves on the Trans-Canada highway. Asphalted roads can transfer huge amounts of heat which in turn pass immense amounts of heat on to tires. With the hot air expanding inside the tire too, a tiny structural weakness in the tire can cause a disaster.

Most drivers tend to under-inflate their tires in summer, since they expect heated air to expand inside them. Most trucks tend to be more heavily loaded in summer and drivers are less vigilant about checking tire pressure in the more pleasant driving environment. They also need to check tire pressure when cold to get the right reading.

Low tread depth is another risk factor. Truck drivers/owners have to ensure that the tread depth is kept at the manufacturer’s recommendation to ensure better handling. This also reduces blowout risks.

Cutting costs by using winter tires in summer can be absolutely fatal. Spring changeovers are vitally important and drivers need to take the time and effort to do this. Well-maintained tires that are designed for the season are a driver’s best bet in avoiding accidents.

Another issue is regular maintenance. Commercial truck companies must follow safety standards and ensure that their vehicles are kept in top running condition.

Bad road-conditions, potholes, nails and debris on the roads can raise the risks of tire blowout.

It’s important to understand that summer tire blowouts happen following accumulated damage. They don’t suddenly occur. Hence regular inspection and maintenance are crucial.

If you or a dear one has been injured in such an accident, contact the nearest personal injury lawyer in Brampton with experience in handling similar cases.