Tire blowouts can be terrifying. Loss of control and/or the shock of the situation can potentially lead to severe accidents. When a tire blowout causes a crash, determining liability for the harm resulting from the wreck can be a complex undertaking, as several concerns may have contributed to the incident at issue.

A tire blowout occurs when a tire suddenly loses air pressure, often causing an affected driver to lose control of their vehicle. Blowouts can happen for various reasons, including manufacturing defects, improper maintenance, road hazards and overloading a vehicle. The consequences can be catastrophic, particularly at high speeds, leading to rollovers, collisions or even multi-car pileups.

Potentially liable parties

Liability for crashes caused by tire blowouts can fall on different parties, depending on the cause of the blowout:

If a blowout was caused by a defect in a tire’s design or manufacturing, the tire manufacturer could be held liable. Defects might include issues with a tire’s materials, improper curing during production or structural weaknesses. Under these circumstances, a product liability lawsuit could be filed against the manufacturer, alleging that the tire was unreasonably dangerous and directly caused the crash.

Similarly, if a mechanic or service provider improperly installed or serviced tires, leading to a blowout, they might be held liable. For instance, if tires were not correctly balanced, mounted or inflated, and this negligence contributed to a blowout, the service provider could be responsible for the accident.

By contrast, if a blowout occurred as a result of poor maintenance, such as someone knowingly driving on worn-out tires or failing to address a known issue like low tire pressure, a driver at fault for a blowout crash may be held liable for negligence.

Proving liability in tire blowout cases isn’t always easy. Thankfully, seeking personalized guidance and support is always an option.