Bus Accident in China Blamed on Tire Blowout
A bus accident in China that claimed the lives of 36 people and injured 36 others is being blamed on a tire blowout. Generally, when you hear about an accident involving a large vehicle, like a bus or a tractor-trailer, and that large vehicle swerves over a median into oncoming traffic, there are two scenarios that are the most likely. The first is that the driver fell asleep at the wheel. The second is that the vehicle suffered a catastrophic tire blowout that resulted in the driver losing control of the vehicle. In the case of buses, it’s far more likely to be the latter than the former.
Why You Don’t Hear About Bus Accidents
Nine times out of ten, when you hear about a tire failure, it’s usually a tractor-trailer involved in an accident. When you think about how tractor-trailers operate, this makes a lot of sense. Tractor-trailers are required to traverse vast distances at high speeds on highways. When a tire blows out at highway speeds, the driver is generally going to lose control of the vehicle.
Buses, on the other hand, do their work in stop-and-go traffic. If a tire blows out, the chances of the bus traveling at highway speed, where the blowout would be significantly more dangerous, is quite low.
The Goodyear G159
If you’ve followed our blog, then you’ve likely heard about the Goodyear G159. This particular tire is associated with dozens of accidents in blowouts that occurred on RVs. The tire was originally designed for local delivery trucks, like box trucks that you see from FedEx or UPS. These vehicles do most of their deliveries in urban or suburban settings. RVs, on the other hand, spend a great deal of their time traversing highways.
According to several lawsuits filed against Goodyear, the G159 was prone to tread failure at high speeds. One of the things that an RV tire must be able to do that an urban deliver vehicle doesn’t have to, is manage the intense heat caused by sustained driving. It was precisely this problem that victims of the G159 brought before the court after some folks sustained severe injuries and lost family members after the G159 blew out.
Additionally, Goodyear never admitted fault in these lawsuits. They often blamed the drivers for failing to keep the tire inflated enough or overinflating the tire. Meanwhile, the death toll continued to pile up, and despite the fact that the NHTSA says that they’re investigating issues with the tire, no recall has ever been initiated.
Talk to a Tire Liability Attorney Today
If your vehicle has suffered a catastrophic tire failure, the Coral Gables tire defect attorneys at Halpern, Santos & Pinkert will investigate the accident and determine who is at fault. Injuries in tire failure accidents tend to be extensive. Our attorneys can help you recover damages related to your medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Call us today to set up a free consultation.
Resource:
sputniknews.com/asia/201902231072678816-victims-china-accident/
https://www.tiredefectattorney.com/tire-blowout-accident-proves-fatal/
