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Long road trips with heavily loaded cars on over-heated highways can stress car tires to the limit. To prevent car accidents, before hitting the road, check that the pressure is adequate in all tires and that the treads are in good condition

Car accidents related to tire aging kill 90 people and injure 3200 every year. 9% of all car crashes are due to tire related issues according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

As summer season is starting, the NHTSA is urging motorists to check their tires as hot weather and under-inflated or worn down tires are a dangerous mix on the road.

In a previous survey about Tire-Related Factors in the Pre-Crash Phase, NTHSA highlighted the following findings:

  • If tires are under-inflated by more that 25% they are 3 times more likely to be responsible for a crash than adequately inflated tires
  • A tire with a tread depth in the range 0 to 2/32″ is 3 times more likely to be responsible for a crash than a tire with tread depth in the range 3/32 to 4/32″
  • Tires related accidents often lead to car rollover especially if the car is a SUV. Of all SUVs with tire problems in the pre-crash phase, 45% rolled over compare to 25% when comparing all types of cars
  • Inexperienced drivers or drivers not familiar with the car have a tendency not to check the tires and therefore have a greater risk of being involved in a car accident related to tires issues
  • Tires related accidents happen more often under adverse roadway conditions