According to the National Transportation Safety Board report, around 33,000 accidents occur due to tire repair damage. Based off this stat, it is clear that proper maintenance of tires is essential for not only your vehicle’s safety but the safety of those on the road as well. There are various factors that can affect your tires and their performance, but the primary causes for this type of repair need is sidewall and alignment damage. In this article, we will focus on sidewall especially as it is the most prominent cause for repair as well as ways maintain and assess the status of your vehicle’s tires.
OVERLOAD
When there is too much weight in your vehicle, it is susceptible to an overload blowout. When a vehicle is overloaded, the tires can overheat and explode. Although this problem is more common with larger vehicles like an SUV or truck, overload to the point of causing damaging can still occur if your vehicle is carrying a lot of weight for its weight and is exposed to high temperatures. Inflated weather conditions and stress can result in a tire blowout.
TIRE WEAR
Uneven tire wear is a clear indicator that your vehicle needs tire repair. Self-identifying this can be challenging however; it may be difficult to spot low tread patterns on your tires if you are not well versed on examining tires. A professional auto repair shop can assist and it is our recommendation to undergo vehicle inspection semi-frequently. Without proper inspections and care for your tires tread cord, this exposure will occur and lead to a hole, which will lead to tire failure.
AGE
According to most tire companies, tires usually last anywhere from 6-10 years. However, the tires on your vehicle take on damage as soon as they are exposed to oxygen and heat. The deterioration due to the age of your tires is bound to happen, and even if you have great tread still on your vehicle, they can still fail because of the natural wear and tear it has been exposed to.
UNDER INFLATION
When a vehicle is neglected or becomes damaged, the inflation on the tires becomes unsafe. This is because when there is not enough pressure in the tire so it cannot hold the load of the vehicle and is susceptible to failure. The chance for failure increases when the temperature is warmer and the vehicle is driving fast.
This cause for tire repair is so critical that as of 2007 all vehicles became required to include a tire pressure monitoring system to notify drivers of when their tires reach unsafe tire pressure.
STEPS TO TAKE IN ACCIDENT
In the unfortunate situation where you experience tire failure while driving, you to need to know what to do. After a tire sidewall blowout driver should not hit the brakes once feeling the tire failure. This will remove all control you have over the vehicle and can put you in a worse situation. Rather, we recommend that you maintain your current speed and stabilize the vehicle by counter steering into the failed tire. When you can stabilize your vehicle by counter steering, then we suggest slowing down, staying safe, and once out of the situation, prepare to take your vehicle into a trusted auto repair shop.
Call us today if you need assistance and want reliable professional care from tire repair experts! We will have you back on the road in no time.