One of the staples of driving on the Oklahoma highway is seeing the remnants of a blown tire scattered across the road. Called “road gators,” people sometimes have to maneuver to avoid running over them. The fact is many of these road gators are the result of a truck tire blowout.  Another fact is that these blown tires, often due to defects in the tire itself, are a very serious hazard that can result in collisions with injuries or death.  However, it isn’t only drivers of automobiles that need to be aware of the debris on the road, but truck drivers who may lose more than one tire at a time.

We know truck drivers drive long distances, and oftentimes they are carrying a heavy load. Both of these things can lead to tire blowouts. Heat and pressure building up on tires that have not been properly inflated – under- or over-inflated – can cause tire failure that can puncture other tires. The result may be semis that are suddenly out of control with others on the road, as well as drivers trying to avoid the inevitable debris.

Although not all Oklahoma accidents are caused by blown tire debris, nearly 100 people die a year due to these highway conditions. A further 25,000 are injured.  Arkansas and Oklahoma are two of the deadliest states for truck accidents.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a tire blowout or a semi-truck accident, please contact the Oklahoma semi-truck attorneys and Oklahoma tire blowout lawyers at Carr and Carr Attorneys in Tulsa and Oklahoma City to speak to an experienced Oklahoma personal injury lawyer.

Even though those tires you have may look new, are they? After all, looks can be deceiving. For example, how long have you had that spare tire sitting in the trunk of your car? There is also the chance it is one of the tires that was issued in a 2000 Firestone recall that just never got replaced. And, finally, how will you know if your spare needs to be replaced?  The manufacturing date written on tires is done in a code that can be difficult to interpret.  The Oklahoma defective tire lawyers at Carr and Carr Attorneys, with offices in Tulsa and Oklahoma City, can help.

Every year there are accidents in Oklahoma that are caused by tires that are falling apart due to age. One of the most common failures of old tires is tread separation. This occurs on steel-belted radial tires, and is due to the problem of steel adhering to rubber. It most often happens at high speeds in hot weather. Tread separation can lead to a blowout. As a result of the speed this occurs, vehicles will lose control and crash causing injuries and fatalities.

While it is the responsibility of the vehicle owner to replace their aging or worn tires, sometimes the tires bought “new” are actually tires that have reached an age where they have become dangerous. Because of this, some experts have called for a tire “expiration date.” They say tires should not be used after ten years, and that they not be sold if they’ve been in storage for six or more years. Still, should you worry if you have a defective tire, or are your tires safe?

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident due to a defective tire you thought was new blowing out, please contact the Oklahoma tire  lawyers at Carr & Carr Attorneys. Our Oklahoma defective tire lawyers have locations in both Tulsa and Oklahoma City.  We would be happy to answer any questions you might have.