Fatal Crash in Maricopa County caused by Tire Blowout

Modern vehicles have thousands of safety features built into them with the intention of decreasing the likelihood of collisions while increasing the safety of those involved if a crash does happen. Most of these features come standard on cars these days so that drivers never need to think about them – they are there and they work when needed. For many, gone are the days when a driver had to pump the brakes because anti-lock brakes now take that role. No longer are most drivers forced to use a little muscle to turn the wheel because power steering handles even the slightest movement with ease.

While a number of safety features don’t require maintenance or even attention by the driver, others do and it can be crucial to the overall operation of the vehicle that these are maintained properly. One of the most overlooked safety features on any vehicle is that car’s tires. Tires impact your vehicle’s ability to accelerate, maintain speed, brake, and turn which means that tires play a role in every maneuver your car will make.

Despite the significant role that tires play in safety, they are often ignored or improperly maintained which leads to car accidents caused by tire failure or tire blowouts. In a typical case of a tire failure, an underlying problem will cause the incident and it can be due to improper maintenance or a defect in the tire itself. Maintenance of tires includes things like replacing a tire when the tread is worn, using the right type of tires on a vehicle, making sure the tire is properly inflated, and refraining from overloading a vehicle. Defects in a tire typically occur during manufacture and usually go unnoticed by a driver until a failure happens.

Yesterday, officials with the Arizona Department of Public Safety responded to the scene of a collision on State Route 85 near Gila Bend that appears to have been caused by a failing tire. Authorities report that a motorist in the area was operating an SUV when a tire on that vehicle failed, causing the driver to lose control and cross lanes of traffic. The SUV allegedly struck a medical transport van that was nearby in a head-on crash, a collision that claimed the lives of the driver of the van and a passenger on board.

An additional five people were injured in the collision and at least two of them left the scene by helicopter air ambulance to be transported to an area hospital. Officials confirmed significant debris on the road from the collision and, among the wreckage, a child’s car seat that reportedly had been ejected. It is not clear whether a child was among the victims of this crash.

If you are injured in a car accident in the Phoenix area and you are looking for information about your legal options, call the personal injury attorneys at Abels & Annes, P.C. today and let us provide you with a no-cost, no-obligation case consultation. We have an attorney standing by 24 hours a day to take your call toll free at (855) PHX-LAWYER or locally at (602) 819-5191 and everything discussed will be kept confidential.

Even if a car accident is caused by a faulty tire, a tire defect, or an improperly maintained tire, you may be entitled to compensation for your injuries and for the pain you endure. Call Abels & Annes, P.C. now and let us fight for your rights in a court of law.

Prior Blog Entry:

Phoenix Rollover Crash Injures 2, Phoenix Injury Lawyer Blog, published May 28, 2015.

Resource:

DPS: Tire failure preceded fatal crash near Gila Bend, by Jerod MacDonald-Evoy and Jennifer Soules, The Republic, azcentral.com, published May 28, 2015.