Under Inflated Tires Contribute to Hawaii Accidents

Underinflated tires and inadequate tire tread separation are just two of the tire safety problems that contribute to accidents in Hawaii and around the country every year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, thousands of accidents every year can be prevented if motorists check their tires regularly, get them inspected, and replace them when they are old.

According to the federal agency, under inflated tires are a major cause of accidents across the country every year. The agency analyzed approximately 5,470 accidents and found that about 9% of these accidents experienced tire safety-related problems just before the collision. About 50% of the tire safety-related accidents involved a single vehicle.

The researchers also found specific tire safety problems that increased the risk of a crash. These included under inflation, which causes hundreds of accidents every year. The researchers found that when tires are under-inflated by at least 25%, tire problems are 3 times as likely to be cited as a factor in the accident.

Inadequate tire tread depth is another major cause of accidents. The NHTSA researchers found that 26% of tires installed in vehicles that had tire problems just before an accident, had a tread depth of between 0 and 2/32 of an inch.

Tire problems also seem to greatly affect new drivers. If you are not familiar with the vehicle that you’re driving, you are much more likely to be involved in an accident caused by a tire safety problem.

None of this is news, but it is important to educate motorists about the need to frequently check their tires and discard old and dated tires. Check the expiration date of the tire – every tire has one – which is usually about 6 years.