Personal Injury | April 29, 2022 by JOSHUA D. ANDERSON
The popularity of all-terrain vehicles (or ATVs) has increased across the country because of aggressive marketing and manufacturers making these vehicles more attractive to consumers. With the increased popularity and use of these vehicles, there is a related increase in the number of accidents involving ATVs that result in serious injuries and even death. At Anderson Law | Injury Attorneys, Our best personal injury attorney has helped clients in Auburn, Bonney Lake, Buckley, Puyallup, and nearby cities who have been involved in ATV accidents to recover compensation for their injuries.
A leading cause of ATV accidents is tire blowouts. These blowouts happen suddenly and with no time for reaction, and even the sound from the blowout can give someone a heart attack. With a tire blowout, the ATV can spin out of control and even crash, especially if the driver starts wildly steering the ATV in a panic.
ATVs with the latest technology are designed to be safely controlled even with a tire blowout, but that takes an experienced driver to know what to do. An inexperienced driver can make decisions in an effort to control the ATV that, in fact, make the situation worse, including crashing or having the ATV rollover.
ATV tires are manufactured in strict adherence to quality control standards, but even that does not guarantee that a tire will not blow up while the ATV is in use. There are many reasons or causes for ATV tire blowouts, which include the following:
Old Age. Like everything else, tires get old after use beyond the recommended time. Manufacturers do their best to make tires that last longer than others before the advent of new tire technologies, but nothing lasts forever. Of all parts of the vehicle, the tire is probably the one that takes the most punishment as it must contend with all types of terrain and surfaces, as well as temperatures.
The tires are designed to expand and contract in response to changing pressure and temperature, but over time, this wears out, and the tire must be replaced. If not replaced, the worn tire can and often does lead to a blowout that, in turn, causes accidents. If an ATV rental company or another party fails to maintain the tires, they should be liable for injuries that result.
Damage. Roads and off-road paths are riddled with all kinds of debris, and an ATV will inevitably run over this debris at any given time. The driver may not notice or sense the obstacles, and running over objects can result in tire damage. In some cases, it may be just going over one sharp object that triggers a blowout. Other times, the damage is cumulative to a point the blowout occurs.
Typical debris that causes damage to tires include nails or rocks and these are known to cause serious ATV accidents. Debris like this causes small punctures that result in the air slowly draining out of the tire, and can suddenly lead to the tire blowing up because of a buildup of pressure that in turn causes the blowout.
If you have been injured in an accident caused by an ATV tire blowout, contact our office for a free evaluation if you are in Bonney Lake, Auburn, Puyallup, nearby or surrounding cities. Our legal team represents the rights of injured individuals like you.
Attorney Joshua D. Anderson grew up in Enumclaw, Washington with a close-knit family who instilled in him the values of faith, family, and hard work. Since a young age, Josh knew he wanted to be an attorney so he could advocate for others and always knew his focus would be personal injury. He completed his undergraduate degree at the University of San Diego and graduated Cum Laude from Seattle University School of Law. While pursuing his degree, Josh served as an extern for the Seattle City Attorney’s Office.
This page has been written, edited, and reviewed by a team of legal writers following our comprehensive editorial guidelines. This page was approved by Founding Partner, Joshua D. Anderson who has more than 20 years of legal experience as a personal injury attorney.