The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has recently launched their TireWise campaign which is aimed at providing consumers and retailers with important information about choosing the right tires and properly maintaining those tires. Since tire-related crashes are responsible for almost 200 fatalities each year, motorists are encouraged to become “TireWise.” Being “TireWise” means knowing how to shop for the right tires for your vehicle, and also how to care for those tires to ensure many safe miles of service.

Tire Related Crashes in the U.S.

  • Every year, U.S. drivers put almost 2,969 billion miles on their tires.
  • On average, almost 200 people die in tire-related crashes each year.
  • Each year, there are an estimated 11,000 tire-related wrecks across the country.

Purchasing and Maintaining Tires

Although it’s absolutely imperative to get the right tires for your vehicle, it isn’t enough to just buy them and forget about them. Tires need to be properly inflated and maintained for safe roadway travel. Poor tire maintenance, not having enough air in your tires, and failing to rotate and balance can lead to a dangerous blowout that can put you and other motorists on the road in danger. Tire pressure and tread wear should be checked regularly. As a bonus, properly inflated tires can save you money at the pump. Tires that aren’t properly inflated can cost you as much as 11 cents per gallon on fuel. The NHTSA also reports that properly inflated tires can extend the average life of a tire by 4,700 miles.

After a Tire-Related Crash
After any type of crash, always take care of your immediate medical needs first. Once you’ve been evaluated and treated by a doctor, you can worry about the details. Whether you think faulty or improperly maintained tires may have been involved in your crash or not, it’s a good idea to speak with an experienced injury attorney. An initial police report may not reflect an at-fault driver’s improperly maintained tires as being the cause of a blowout or other tire-related malfunction. The skilled team at Davis Law Group, P.A. can conduct a more in-depth investigation to collect all the necessary evidence for your case.