Old Tires Pose a Major Car Accident Risk

Our team of San Diego car accident attorneys are always fielding questions about tire safety. Unfortunately, there are no laws in California that restrict the sale of aged tires. Yes, there are tire inspection laws… but they only test for wear and tear.

A tire has a life of about 6 years. During that time tread wears down, inflation levels fluctuate, rubber dries out.  Older tires, especially if they have surpassed their expiration date, are prone to dangerous blow-outs and separation of the tread.

Test data by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration shows that a tire 6-years or older has a substantially increased chance of catastrophic tread separation. Unfortunately for consumers, retailers can sell tires that are more than six (6) years old; many times they are more than 15 years old, which is just an accident waiting to happen.

Determine a Tire’s Age

The one clear way to find out a tire’s age before you buy it is to look for the identification number on the sidewall of the tire. It begins with the letters DOT followed by a manufacturer’s code. The last four numerical digits represent the week and year the tire was made.  So if the last four numbers were 2410, this would mean that the tire was manufactured in the twenty-fourth week of 2010 (which was the week beginning on June 14, 2010).

Car Accidents Caused by Aged Tires

San Diego car accidents caused by aging tires is serious business. If you have been injured in such a situation, the best you can do is retain a San Diego product liability attorney. You need someone with experience in products liability and manufacturers’ liability as well as an attorney who can call on professionals to evaluate the age and condition of the tire(s) involved in the injury accident.

Our goal is simple: To get you the compensation for damages and injury you deserve.

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Steven Elia

Founder at Elia Law Firm in San Diego

Mr. Elia has extensive litigation experience having appeared at more than 1,000 civil hearings including jury and bench trials, over 500 depositions, and hundreds of mediations. Some of his cases have made national headlines. He specializes in personal injury, business law and civil litigation in and around San Diego.

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