Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

On June 2, 2008, after many years of prodding by consumer advocacy groups and attorneys, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) issued a consumer advisory concerning aging tires. This follows numerous lawsuits involving Explorer/Firestone rollovers, which made the public aware of the potential dangers of tire aging. Additional industry documents and studies have made clear that tires more than six years old are hazardous to drivers, and can result in tread separations, crashes and rollovers.

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In June, we reported that the U.S. Senate panel reviewing a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposal for increased standards in roof strength had asked the agency to delay its decision, originally scheduled for July 1. The NHTSA agreed to further review of the policy, and set a new date for release on Oct. 1. Yesterday, the agency announced another delay, pushing the decision back to December, according to a report in the Detroit News.

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If you own a 1998 to 2003 Mercedes M-Class SUV, you will soon receive a notice from Mercedes-Benz notifying you of a recall. According to Reuters, The German automaker is recalling nearly 103,000 vehicles because of a defect that can cause the loss of power steering and could result in a crash.

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As youngsters head back to school, many will be sharing the ride on public transportation or a school bus. In many cases, students traveling to smaller schools, special events or sporting activities may climb into a 15-passenger van. The vehicle is a popular choice to relatively inexpensively and conveniently transport small groups. But it could be deadly.

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Tire blowouts can lead to loss of control of a vehicle, resulting in serious injuries

Tire failures, blowouts and detreads are foreseeable and preventable events. Manufacturers know that tire treads will wear with proper use and at some point fail if not serviced properly and replaced after their intended period of use has expired.

tire valve stem recall

Tech International recently (May 13, 2008) recalled certain replacement snap-in tire valve stems, model no. Tr413, manufactured between July and November 2006. The rubber portion of the valve stem may crack causing loss of tire pressure.

Continuing to drive on under-inflated tires could damage the tire, possibly resulting in loss of control.

Tech International has agreed to replace the valve stems or a damaged tire, if the damage was due to a defective tire valve.

Owners are advised to contact Tech International at 1-740-967-9015.

Tire tread separation

Tire tread separation can be caused by bonding problems in the tire manufacturing process, contaminants introduced into the tire during the tire making process, under-vulcanization, old ingredients, improper sized components, or something as simple as air being trapped in between the layers of the tire during manufacturing. Detreading of these defective tires can result in single or multi vehicle accidents, or even rollovers. Even the auto manufacturers agree that drivers should be able to pullover, not rollover when a tire detreads. That is unfortunately not always the case.

Do you have a tire blowout claim?

There may be a tire defect claim if an accident was caused by the failure of a tire, leading to loss of control of the vehicle.

If your loved one has suffered a serious injury or death as a result of a tire blowout injury, you may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, loss of wages, and pain and suffering.

Please contact our tire blowout lawyers today by filling out the brief questionnaire, or by calling our toll free number (1-800-898-2034) for a free, no-cost, no-obligation legal evaluation of your case.

A U.S. Senate panel recommended Wednesday that a National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) proposal on vehicle roof strength requirements be amended so that it does not limit the ability of plaintiffs to sue automakers in roof crush cases, according to an Associated Press report.

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A Senate hearing on roof crush strength and related driver and passenger safety in vehicle rollover accidents is set for Wednesday, June 4, from 10-11:30 a.m. ET in room 253, Russell Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. Sen. Mark Pryor, chairman of the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Automotive Safety, called for the hearing after meeting with representatives from non-profit citizen action group People Safe In Rollovers Foundation.

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Since his son Tyler’s death, Kevin Moody has been on a mission to get the roof strength standard, FMVSS 216, upgraded and convince Congress to pass new legislation regulating and mandating a new and adequate roof strength standard beyond what NHTSA, (National Highway Transportation Safety Administration) has proposed.

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vehicle Rollover accidents account for one third of auto accident fatalities

Statistics show that approximately 10,000 people in the United States die in vehicle rollovers each year. Rollovers constitute only 3 percent of passenger vehicle crashes, but they are the most deadly, accounting for a full 30 percent of the fatalities.

Additionally, about 24,000 people are seriously injured in rollover crashes in the U.S. each year.

Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV) rollovers

Sport Utility Vehicles (SUV’s), and other tall, narrow vehicles are prone to rollover. After a driver makes an avoidance maneuver they should be able to regain control of their vehicle, or, the vehicle should “slide out” on the road without rolling over. A vehicle should never roll over because of friction forces alone, nor should a vehicle ever roll over on dry flat pavement.

Rollovers will occur off the road when the vehicle furrows in soft ground, after contact with other vehicles, or when the vehicle is tripped by obstructions like potholes or curbs.

15-passenger van rollovers

Rollovers with 15-passenger vans are prevalent. These vehicles are inherently unstable and have a high propensity to roll over which increases as more passengers are added. The more passengers you add, the higher likelihood there is of a tire failure on the rear of the van, which could then result in a rollover.

Data for 1991-2000 in the fatal accident reporting system (FARS) of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) indicate about 52 percent of the 15-passenger vans involved in a single-vehicle fatal accident were in a rollover. This compares to 33 percent of passenger automobiles involved in accidents. Additionally, 81 percent of 15-passenger van fatalities are from single-vehicle rollover accidents.

Unfortunately, the tires on these vans ‘float’ and lose traction with the road when weight distribution is uneven over the axles. Therefore, the vehicle does not respond properly to steering input from the driver, causing control and handling problems that often result in rollover accidents.

These 15-passenger vans are often used to transport school children, church groups, and sports teams.

NHTSA research reported in 2001 that 15-passenger vans with 10 or more occupants had a rollover ratio of 85 percent compared with the ratio of 28.3 percent for vans with fewer than five occupants.

signs of a potential rollover problem

There may be a rollover/stability problem if:

• the vehicle rolls over on the roadway;
• the paved road is smooth and dry; tire marks on the roadway end abruptly;
• and there is no “tripping mechanism” such as a pothole or curb.

Do you have a rollover claim?

If your loved one has suffered a serious injury or death as a result of a vehicle rollover injury, you may be entitled to compensation for medical expenses, loss of wages, and pain and suffering.

Please contact our rollover lawyers today by filling out the brief questionnaire, or by calling our toll free number (1-800-898-2034) for a free, no-cost, no-obligation legal evaluation of your case.