Road debris constitutes one of the primary environmental hazards that motorists can encounter during their travels. The combination of debris with oncoming traffic presents a more significant threat with many highways’ high speeds. Though the items found as road obstacles varies, a common risk area is that of ‘road gators’ or the shredded treads and sidewalls of tractor-trailer tires that get left behind when a tire blows out.
Understanding how ‘gators’ cause accidents
Compared to other road debris, the size of tire gators means that a tire blow out of your own might be the best-case scenario when colliding with one. These tires often have metal bands adhered inside them for strength and could be large enough to send a vehicle off course and into other road barriers and obstacles. When an accident does occur, motorists must understand how liability works in these scenarios:
Driver: The semi-trailer’s driver may be responsible for removing tire pieces from the road after a blown-out tire dislodges. The challenge in this is that since most of the trailer tires are doubled up, it may take some time and make it more challenging to recognize when a tire is lost. Given traffic and road conditions, a driver may be unwilling to walk back to where they lost the tire to retrieve it.
Owners: A trucking company could potentially be declared at fault if their vehicle is identified as the road gator’s source. A trucking company must inspect the tires of its big rigs and trailers before departure. These tires must be in good condition and securely in place.
Finding proper compensation after an accident
The damages/injuries that could result from a collision with a shredded tire could require long-term treatment. If you’ve been injured from road debris, you need to pursue your compensation options to cover that treatment plus any lost wages from your injuries.