A tire blowout, especially at high speed, can lead to a devastating accident. Such accidents occur due to various reasons, which means liability is not always clear-cut. Here are some of the parties who may be liable for such an accident.
The Driver
In most auto accidents, the driver of the car is almost always responsible, at least partially, for the crash. This is because the driver was the one in control of the car at the time of the crash. Thus, a driver can also be responsible for a blowout accident. For example, this may be the case if the driver overloaded the car, drove a car with defective tires, or failed to inflate the tires to the correct pressure.
Another Driver
Blowouts sometimes occur because of road debris left by other drivers. For example, if a box of nails fall of a truck and punctures the tires of another car, the truck driver may be liable for the ensuing blowout accident.
Other Road Users
It is not just drivers who can cause road dangers that can trigger accidents; other road users can also show such negligence. This includes motorcyclists, bicyclists, and even pedestrians. Anyone who leaves a dangerous object on the road and ends up causing an auto accident will be liable for the damages.
Tire Manufacturer
In rare cases, blowout accidents occur due to inherent tire defects. In such cases, the tire manufacturer will be on the hook for the accident. For example, a deformed tire can blowout because if it fails to handle the air pressure plus the weight of the car above it.
The Government
It is also rare, but possible, for the government to be responsible for a blowout accident. This may be the case if a road maintenance or construction agency fails to do its job properly. This may happen if the accident is caused by road defects such as potholes, carelessly left rood maintenance tools, or debris from road constructions.
Auto Mechanic
Auto mechanics are usually not responsible for damages their clients' cars might cause. However, if the mechanic's negligence is directly responsible for the accident, then there is nothing to stop the victims from claiming damages from the mechanic. For example, an auto mechanic who installs the wrong tires or doesn't install tires correctly should pay for the damages their negligence might cause.
Car Owner
If the driver is not the owner of the car, then the owner of the car may also be responsible for the blowout accident. Say a trucking company doesn't want to replace its trucks tires despite numerous warnings from its drivers. If any of the affected trucks cause a blowout accident, then the trucking company should settle the damages.
Contact an auto accident attorney for more help.
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