For many people across Indiana, driving is a routine activity. People drive to get to work and collect the kids from school. Professional driving is also a common form of vocation for many people.
After a number of years, driving becomes almost automatic. However, the reality is that driving is always hazardous, no matter how at ease a road user may feel. Other drivers can pose a risk and mechanical errors can occur with any vehicle.
One of the scariest vehicular malfunctions that can happen is a tire blowout. What does this consist of and what are the more common causes?
What is a tire blowout?
A tire blowout occurs when all of the air within a tire suddenly leaves. At high speeds, this can cause the car to spin out of control, placing the driver and other road users at severe risk of injury or fatality.
Punctures
Punctures are one of the most common causes of tire blowouts. In some cases, punctures cause your tire to deflate gradually, and you will be given the chance to notice before a collision occurs. However, sometimes punctures go under the radar. For instance, you may have run over a nail on the road a few weeks ago, which lodged itself in your tire wall. While it remains lodged, air might only gradually leave the tire. However, if the nail suddenly becomes dislodged at high speed, there is a distinct risk that your tire will blow out and a crash will ensue.
Overloaded vehicles
All cars and vehicles have a maximum weight that they can bear. This is even the case for larger commercial vehicles. If a vehicle is overloaded, then it is being placed under undue strain. If the tires take the brunt of this, then they might give way and blow out.
Tire blowouts are extremely dangerous and raising awareness could prevent you or other vehicles from getting into this situation. If you have been injured in a road traffic collision, it may benefit you to look into your legal options.