Texas Truck Wreck Attorney Blog

In my Texas personal injury law practice I see many cases of serious injury or wrongful death that resulted from a tire blowout. In some cases a tire was defective and led to a very serious crash and at other times the driver overreacted to the emergency situation and caused the accident.

One of the key factors in handling any emergency situation is not to panic. Panic is the enemy of many situations that could have been avoided.

If you are faced with a blowout, here are some safety tips to help guide you safely off the roadway.

1. Keep a firm grip on the steering wheel and do your best to keep your vehicle moving in a straight line.

2. Very slowly take your foot off the gas pedal and gradually reduce your speed.

3. When you can, turn on your turn signal and slowly moved toward the side of the road making no sudden turns.

4. Find a spot on the side of the road where you can safely pull off the road and get out of the way of moving traffic.

5. Park your car or pickup truck entered on your hazard lights while making sure your vehicle is completely out of the way of oncoming traffic and in a safe position. Make sure and keep an eye out for oncoming traffic and do not stand in between the car and the roadway.

While these tips are mainly common sense, many people have never experienced a tire failure and when the blowout occurs the vehicle tends to pull toward the side of the failed tire. Do not overreact and oversteer to the opposite direction, which results in a rollover or loss of control.

Continue reading "Handling a Tire Blowout to Avoid an Accident" »

Interstate 35 S. was closed today when a big rig had a blowout and caught fire in the resulting wreck. Firefighters battled the flames and officers had to close both North and South bound lanes while the firefighters worked.

According to reports, a witness on the scene indicated someone had information a tire had blown out and saw the truck swerve and strike the median. Another car was also involved in the truck accident and was caught between the semi-and the median wall.

Other reports have additional cars involved in accidents probably stemming from the roadway being closed.

This is the second similar incident in the last few weeks involving a semi truck having a blowout and catching fire. The tractor-trailers have gas tanks which are outside the frame and susceptible to impact and puncturing from medians.

The investigation is ongoing in this recent truck accident. Likely the investigators will be looking at the tire of the tractor-trailer to determine what caused a blowout and set the truck wreck in motion.

Continue reading "I 35 Closed After 18 Wheeler Crashes and Burns " »