Tire Defects

A California auto accident involving an Oroville police officer was caused by tire tread separation, according to a ChicoER.com story. Reportedly, the right rear tire of the officer’s vehicle separated from the rim, which caused the vehicle to veer to the right and head towards the median. The officer’s vehicle hit a light pole after spinning out of control on Highway 70. No other vehicles were involved in the crash and the officer and his canine did not sustain injury.

A California Highway Patrol spokesman stated that it is not atypical for a tire to separate due to a defect or another non-visible cause. The OPD Police Chief asserted concern over why the tire separated in the first place and wants the cause determined so that similar incidents do not happen in the future.

Comparable to other professional motor vehicles, tires on police vehicles are required to be frequently checked and properly repaired when necessary. Tire maintenance is one of many necessary steps to help ensure that a vehicle is safe to take to the road and that tire problems will not lead to an accident. While the police chief stated that the tires on police vehicles get replaced before they arrive at half the wear mark recommended for regular vehicle replacements, it is possible that either poor tire maintenance or a tire defect caused the tire disintegration that led to the Oroville crash.

Auto accidents involving tire tread separation can lead to serious injury or even death. When tires separate due to a tire manufacturing defect or design flaw, or because of an incorrectly repaired tire, injured victims or family members of wrongful death victims can seek compensation to help offset associated expenses, losses, and damages. The Los Angeles tire defect attorneys at Panish Shea & Boyle LLP have extensive experience in tire defect litigation involving tire tread separation, tire belt separation, tire failure and other tire-related defects. If you or someone you care about has been injured in an auto accident that you believe was caused by a defective tire, contact us today for a free consultation by calling 877-800-1700.

At the Clemson University Tire Industry Conference last month, speakers cautioned that government regulatory challenges would have a significant impact on the tire industry in the coming years. The recent spate of Toyota recalls has rocked the automobile manufacturing world and compelled lawmakers to demand tighter regulations and a revision to the Transportation Recall, Enhancement, Accountability and Documentation Act (TREAD), which lays out the guidelines for industry regulation.

Senator Jay Rockefeller of Virginia, chairman of the Senate Commerce, Science & Transportation Committee, has gone so far as to demand the criminalization of senior industry executive failure to certify that the tire defect information they provide to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association (NHTSA) is completely accurate.

According to reports, the most divisive issues at present are over tire shelf life and the protocol for tire labeling. Legislation governing tire age has already been introduced in New York, California, Hawaii and Florida. Industry leaders fear that putting expiration dates on tire stock would be unreasonably financially burdensome for retailers. The industry is still reeling from the Obama Administration’s September 2009 order to increase tire import tariffs from China by nearly 1,000%.

Industry leaders further argue that the government’s proposed requirement that tire ratings be placed on their labels has the opposite effect on consumer protection as intended. Making this information electronically available, they argue, would make it more accessible.

Tire industry regulation continues to be a complicated area of the law and is becoming increasingly more visible in light of several high profile recalls. If you have been injured as a result of a tire defect, call the defective tire injury attorneys at Panish Shea & Boyle LLP and schedule a free consultation today: (877) 800-1700.