How Tire Tread Separation Causes Deadly Truck Accidents

Attorney Kathy McArthur | 888-511-3130 | Free Consult

“Tire tread separation is when the different layers of a tractor-trailer tire—there are several different layers—separate over the passage of time….That’s [what happened] when you see a piece of tire on the road.”

Truck drivers and trucking companies are required to keep their vehicles in drivable condition. Failure to perform regular inspections on the tires can cause the tread to separate, which can create dangerous situations on the road. When the tread separates on a truck tire, it takes an experienced attorney to investigate and find out who is responsible.

To learn more, we spoke to Kathy McArthur of the McArthur Law Firm, an attorney with several years of experience handling trucking accident claims.
Kathy is a personal injury attorney based in Macon, Georgia. She was recently named by Super Lawyers as one of Georgia’s Top 10 Lawyers. Kathy has recovered more than $250 million for her clients.

To learn more, contact her directly by calling 888-511-3130 or by submitting a contact form on this page. There is no charge for the consultation, and you never owe any out-of-pocket attorney fees.

Key Takeaways From Kathy McArthur:

Tread separation—defined by McArthur as when the different layers of a tractor-trailer tire separate over the passage of time—is a common and sometimes unavoidable occurrence for trailer drivers. Just as normal car tires wear down and become more susceptible to tearing and punctures over time, the different layers of tractor-trailer tires also wear down and often become loose or break away from the rest of the tire.

Tread separation is a common occurrence that people should watch out for.

There are many hazards to this, says McArthur. A tread layer that breaks away from a tire while the trailer is in transit can fly up and hit or break the windshield of a vehicle behind the trailer. This can cause an accident if the driver of the second vehicle loses control of the vehicle because of the impact. Additionally, layers can break away and end up underneath the cars of other drivers. This can cause further accidents or severe damage to the vehicles. The tractor-trailer itself can also be affected. While losing one layer off of a tire will not likely cause the trailer to lose control, it may result in the trailer needing to pull over to avoid a hazardous situation when it may not be in a good position to do so.

If you are involved in a serious accident that was caused by tread separation, hire an attorney to help you figure out your next steps.

Most drivers involved in severe motor vehicle accidents will want to hire an attorney, but you may not know who to hire or what steps you should take if the accident was caused by tread separation. There are many factors involved—was the separation a manufacturing issue, a maintenance issue, a driver issue where the vehicle operator was not being safe, general wear and tear, or something else? If the tractor-trailer responsible has moved on and the piece of tire was in the road—but not identified as coming from a specific vehicle—it can be difficult to assess blame and figure out who or what is responsible for the damage suffered by other vehicles and drivers. Because of this, McArthur recommends finding an attorney who has dealt with tread separation cases before and is familiar with the details and possible outcomes of such incidents.

Often, as with many vehicle accidents, you can receive damages for harm done to yourself and your vehicle, as well as secondary damages for considerations such as lost wages or disability pay. In the case of a death, you can receive damages for postmortem expenses and for emotional suffering.

Because of the increased number of factors and outcomes, always make sure you have an attorney that can help you understand the details of an accident and help you receive the damages and help that you are entitled to.

To learn more, contact Kathy McArthur directly by calling 888-511-3130 or by submitting a contact form on this page. There is no charge for the consultation, and you never owe any out-of-pocket attorney fees.

Disclaimer: This video is for informational purposes only. In some states, this video may be deemed Attorney Advertising. The choice of lawyer is an important decision that should not be based solely on advertisements.