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"The most important safety check is knowing whether your vehicle's tires are 'Road Worthy'.  Tires are the vehicle's first line of defense against crashes," reminds Charlotte County Accident Attorney, Randall Spivey.

A study by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) determined that if vehicles are driven with tires under-inflated by more than 25 percent, they are three times more likely to be involved in a crash than vehicles with proper inflation. Even if tires are under-inflated less than 25 percent, they run the risk of overheating, leading to failure, and could adversely affect vehicle handling and tire tread life. Tire failure may happen as just a flat tire in the driveway with is an inconvenience, or could cause a blowout on the highway, which could be a tragedy.

The most common cause of tire blowouts are:

• Punctured Tire. Running over a sharp object along with speed can likely cause a tire to blow out.
• Blunt Force Contact. Hitting a pothole, curb, or any other object, at a high speed can pop a tire, thus damaging  more than just the tire, but the rest of the vehicle as well. 
• Improper Air Levels. Air allows a tire to carry the weight of a vehicle and cargo. When the tire pressure is too low, the sides of the tire may flex too much which causes the tire to overheat and split apart.  Overinflated tires have poor gripping ability. 
• Worn Out Tires. The older the tire, the more susceptible it is to a blowout. 

What if a blow out happens? Popular Mechanics, Auto News, says that the typical reaction is to jam on the brakes and jerk the steering wheel. Unfortunately, those are the worst things to do. They recommend:

• First, don’t put your foot on the brake. The drag of the blown out tire will allow the car to come to a halt shortly.
• Second, keep the steering wheel pointed straight until the car has almost stopped. Movement of the steering wheel could cause the car to spin.
• Third, when the car is almost stopped, ease the car gently toward the shoulder.

There’s an old saying “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This is especially true for tires. Properly maintained tires can help prevent a tire blow out.

1. Check the tire pressure regularly. Check with your vehicle owner's manual, the label inside the driver's door, or possibly a label inside the gas cap, for the manufacturer's recommended psi for each vehicle.  Manufacturer's recommended psi for tires may be different for the front tires than the rear tires of a vehicle.   
2. Rotate your tires every 6,000 to 8,000 miles. This helps achieve more uniform wear, which means consistent performance and longer tire life.
3. Examine your treads. To make sure your tires have a tread depth of at least 4/32 inch, stick a quarter, Washington's head facing down, into one of the tire-tread grooves. If any part of Washington's head is obscured, you have at least that amount of tread.
4. Align your wheels. Improperly aligned wheels can create rapid and uneven wear and steering and tracking problems.

"The NHTSA's booklet Tire Safety - Everything Rides On It, is a good source of information for drivers," says Fort Myers Safe Driving Attorney, Randall Spivey of Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.

Charlotte County Personal Injury Attorney, Randall L. Spivey is a Board Certified Trial Attorney – the highest recognition for competence bestowed by the Florida Bar and a distinction earned by just one (1%) percent of Florida attorneys.  He has handled over 2,000 personal injury and wrongful death cases throughout Florida.  For a free and confidential consultation to discuss your legal rights, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A., in Lee County at 239.337.7483 or toll free at 1.888.477.4839,or by email to Randall@SpiveyLaw.com.  Visit SpiveyLaw.com for more information.  You can contact Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A.in Charlotte County at 941.764.7748 and in Collier County 239.793.7748.