Tire Blowouts & Failures

A tire blowout can look sudden from the outside. A loud report, a cloud of rubber and road dust, a truck moving out of its lane, and traffic reacting in seconds. But many tire failures begin long before the tire ruptures. Low inflation pressure, overloading, heat buildup, prior impact damage, aged rubber, tread separation, casing damage, mismatched dual tires, and poor inspection practices can weaken a commercial tire until highway speed turns an existing defect into a loss-of-control event.

NHTSA defines a blowout as a rapid loss of tire air pressure that can cause a vehicle to lose control. Its TireWise guidance links poor tire maintenance, including underinflation and failure to rotate tires, to flat tires, blowouts, or tread coming off the tire. NHTSA's TireWise page currently reports 511 total motor-vehicle traffic fatalities in tire-related crashes in 2024.^¹ Older NHTSA crash research shows why tire failures receive special attention in reconstruction. In Tire-Related Factors in the Pre-Crash Phase, NHTSA reported that, before tire-pressure-monitoring systems became common on passenger vehicles, an estimated 414 fatalities, 10,275 nonfatal injuries, and 78,392 crashes occurred annually due to flat tires or blowouts. NHTSA also found that 9% of crashes in the National Motor Vehicle Crash Causation Survey involved one or more vehicles experiencing tire problems in the pre-crash phase.^²

Those numbers don’t just apply to commercial trucks, but they help define the safety problem. A tire failure is not merely a maintenance inconvenience. It can become the first event in a crash sequence, especially when it occurs on a steer axle, at highway speed, in traffic, or while the vehicle is heavily loaded.

Underinflation, Heat & Structural Damage

Underinflation is one of the most important tire-failure mechanisms because it creates heat from inside the tire. A properly inflated tire carries its load with the shape and stiffness the manufacturer intended. When pressure is too low, the tire flexes more than designed. That excess flexing produces heat, and heat weakens the tire's internal structure. Over time, the casing, belts, liner, and sidewall may become damaged even before any obvious external defect appears.

NHTSA's crash study found that tires underinflated by more than 25% of the recommended pressure were about three times as likely to be cited as critical events in the pre-crash phase. NHTSA also reported that roughly 10% of tires underinflated by more than 25% were on vehicles that experienced tire problems in the pre-crash phase, compared with 3.4% of correctly inflated tires.^³

Commercial tire sources often state the underinflation problem more broadly. Commercial Carrier Journal reported that industry research attributes about 90% of tire failures to underinflation, while another CCJ article cited the Technology & Maintenance Council for the estimate that 90% of tire failures stem from improper inflation. Those are industry estimates, not a federal crash statistic, so they should be used carefully. But they are consistent with the engineering principle that low pressure creates heat, wear, and structural fatigue.^⁴

FMCSA's own commercial tire advisory gives the same practical warning in simple terms: drivers should examine tires every day for:

• Irregular tread wear
• Cracking
• Bulges
• Inadequate tread depth
• Cuts
• Foreign objects
• General damage

Drivers should also gauge tires cold before each trip and avoid overloading. The advisory states that overloading or underinflation causes excessive heat buildup and internal structural damage that can lead to tire failure.^&sup5;

That is why tire-pressure evidence matters after a crash. A driver's statement that the tires “looked fine” may not answer whether the tires were properly inflated. A tire can be significantly underinflated without appearing flat, especially on a commercial vehicle with dual tires. In one CCJ article, tire professionals criticized “thumping” tires with a hammer or bat as a poor substitute for an accurate gauge, explaining that a tire 20% to 30% underinflated can be difficult to identify that way.^&sup6;

Tread Depth Is Important, But It Is Not the Whole Tire

Federal rules set minimum tread-depth requirements for commercial vehicles, but tread depth alone does not prove a tire was safe. Under 49 C.F.R. § 393.75, front tires on a bus, truck, or truck tractor must have at least 4/32 inch of tread depth in a major tread groove, while other tires must have at least 2/32 inch.

The same rule prohibits operation on tires with:

• Exposed body ply or belt material
• Tread or sidewall separation
• A flat condition
• An audible leak
• A cut exposing ply or belt material

It also prohibits operating a tire with cold inflation pressure below what is required for the load being carried.^&sup7;

NHTSA's crash research found that lower tread depth is associated with tire problems. Tires with tread depth from 0 to 2/32 inch were more frequently found on vehicles experiencing tire problems in the pre-crash phase than tires with greater tread depth. NHTSA also found that vehicles with at least one tire between 0 and 4/32 inch experienced tire problems significantly more than chance.^&sup8;

But the Wawayanda, New York, motorcoach crash shows the limits of relying only on tread depth. In that 2023 crash, the left steer-axle tire on a 2014 Prevost motorcoach catastrophically failed on I-84. The motorcoach departed the roadway and rolled into the median. NTSB found that all tires had at least 10/32 inch tread depth, well above the federal minimum, yet the failed steer tire showed signs of prolonged underinflation and precrash impact damage.

The postcrash tire examination in Wawayanda identified evidence that would not have been captured by a simple tread-depth reading. NTSB reported:

NTSB ultimately determined that the probable cause of the crash was tread/belt detachment and casing rupture of the left steer-axle tire due to prolonged underinflated operation combined with previous impact damage to the tire interior.^&sup9;

That finding is important for trucking cases. A tire may pass a superficial visual inspection and still contain internal damage. A tire may meet the legal tread-depth minimum and still be unsafe because it was operated underinflated, overloaded, overheated, damaged by impact, improperly repaired, or used beyond its appropriate service condition.

Roadside Enforcement Catches Some Tire Defects Before They Become Crashes

Roadside inspections are one of the places where tire failures are prevented before they happen. CVSA's International Roadcheck results show that tire defects are not rare enforcement events. During the 2025 International Roadcheck, inspectors conducted 56,178 commercial motor vehicle, driver, and cargo inspections. Tire-related defects produced 2,899 vehicle out-of-service violations, making tires the second most-cited vehicle out-of-service category after brake systems. Tire-related violations made up 21.4% of the vehicle out-of-service total.^¹¹

CVSA identified examples of tire violations that can take a commercial vehicle out of service:

• Flat tires
• Insufficient tread depth
• Severe cuts exposing cord or ply
• Bulges
• Improper repairs
• Tires not rated for the load being carried
• Tires not rated for highway use

CVSA also reported that “Tires – All others, leaking or inflation less than 50% of the maximum inflation pressure” was the fourth most-cited FMCSA roadside inspection vehicle violation nationwide as of August 29, 2025.^¹²

The 2024 International Roadcheck showed the same pattern. Tires were the second-highest vehicle out-of-service category in North America, producing 2,821 violations, or 20.8% of all vehicle out-of-service violations. In the United States, tire violations accounted for 2,577 out-of-service violations, or 22.1% of total vehicle out-of-service violations.^¹³

These inspection statistics matter because they show tire problems are visible enough to enforce, but not always detected before a crash. A roadside inspector may identify a flat tire, exposed belt, insufficient tread depth, or obvious separation. But a carrier's ordinary maintenance program must catch problems before a roadside inspection does. Federal maintenance rules require motor carriers to systematically inspect, repair, and maintain vehicles under their control, and maintenance records must identify the vehicle, include tire size, indicate the nature and due date of maintenance operations, and record inspections, repairs, and maintenance.^¹⁴

Drivers also have reporting obligations. Under 49 C.F.R. § 396.11, driver vehicle inspection reports must cover tires, wheels, and rims. If a report lists a defect or deficiency likely to affect safe operation, the carrier must repair it or certify that repair is unnecessary before the vehicle is operated again.^¹⁵

Driver Response Matters, But It May Not Be Enough

When a tire fails at highway speed, the driver's response can determine whether the event remains controllable or becomes a rollover, lane departure, or multi-vehicle crash. NHTSA advises that the goal after a blowout is to keep the vehicle balanced and controllable. It warns against overreaction, including slamming on the brakes or abruptly lifting off the accelerator, because either can cause loss of control.

NHTSA advises drivers to:

This is the standard NHTSA guidance for responding to a blowout.^¹⁶

Commercial-driver training materials reflect the same principle. In Benedict v. Hankook Tire Co., a federal court discussed a cement-truck crash involving a front-right tire tread separation and quoted CDL-manual guidance instructing drivers to hold the steering wheel firmly, keep both hands on the wheel, stay off the brakes, and brake gently only after the vehicle slows.^¹⁷

But Wawayanda shows that proper response may not always be enough, especially with a steer-tire failure. NTSB found that the left steer-axle tire failed catastrophically and the motorcoach crossed onto the left shoulder about two seconds later. The ECM recorded 70.8 mph at the crash-trigger event, with no brake activation. NTSB explained that the failure created severe leftward force and that maintaining control would have been extremely challenging even for a belted driver with both hands on the steering wheel.^¹⁸

That is why investigations should avoid simplistic conclusions. A rollover after a blowout does not automatically mean the driver overcorrected.

Investigators weigh:

• Tire position
• Speed
• Vehicle type
• Road geometry
• Load
• Driver posture
• Seat belt use
• Steering input
• Braking
• Video evidence
• ECM data
• Physical marks

In some cases, the driver's response worsens the sequence. In others, the tire failure creates a force the driver cannot reasonably overcome.

Tire Failures Are Evidence Problems as Much as Maintenance Problems

After a tire-failure crash, the failed tire is often the most important physical evidence.

Investigators examine the:

• Tire carcass
• Separated tread pieces
• Belt edges
• Bead area
• Sidewall
• Rim contact marks
• Punctures
• Cuts
• Repairs
• Heat discoloration
• Abrasion patterns
• Fracture surfaces

They compare those findings with maintenance records, tire age, tire identification numbers, inflation records, load records, repair orders, inspection reports, dashcam footage, ECM data, and roadside evidence.

The Wawayanda report shows how detailed tire evidence can separate preexisting failure from crash damage.

NTSB relied on:

NTSB also noted that the carrier's preventive maintenance inspection two days before the crash marked the tires “OK,” but the checklist did not contain a field for manually checked tire pressure.^¹&sup9;

The litigation importance of preservation is illustrated by Van Winkle v. Rogers. There, the Fifth Circuit addressed a crash in which tread from a tractor-trailer tire separated from the casing and struck another vehicle. The remnants of the damaged tire were initially saved, loaded onto the truck, and later disappeared or were destroyed. The Fifth Circuit held that the carrier had notice from the accident itself that the tire was relevant and that the failed tire was the most crucial evidence for determining why the tire separated.^²&sup0;

Defect and recall records can also matter. NHTSA announced in 2022 that Goodyear was recalling more than 170,000 G159 tires produced between 1996 and 2003 and sold for use on trucks and recreational vehicles, after NHTSA found that the tires experienced a high failure rate on RVs compared with similar tires. NHTSA warned that tire failure at highway speeds can lead to serious injury or death.^²¹ The Part 573 recall report identified tread separations and other failures under conditions including overloading and underinflation and stated that tread separations can lead to loss of control and increased crash risk.^²²

The central question in a tire-failure case is not simply whether the tire blew. It is why the tire failed and whether the failure should have been prevented. The answer may be in pressure records, missing pressure records, DVIRs, maintenance intervals, casing history, retread history, tire age, load ratings, repair documentation, TPMS alerts, roadside inspection history, or the tire fragments themselves. A blowout happens in seconds, but the evidence often shows a longer history of heat, pressure loss, damage, and missed warnings.

Sources

• [1] National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, "Tires" (TireWise), current data reporting 511 total motor-vehicle traffic fatalities in tire-related crashes in 2024.
• [2] National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Tire-Related Factors in the Pre-Crash Phase, Report No. DOT HS 811 617, April 2012.
• [3] Id.
• [4] Commercial Carrier Journal, "How to Avoid an Out-of-Service Violation Due to Tires," 2021; Commercial Carrier Journal, "Trouble Tracking Tires?," 2010.
• [5] Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Commercial Tire Safety Advisory (visor card), developed 2016 in partnership with NHTSA, CVSA, and the Rubber Manufacturers Association.
• [6] Commercial Carrier Journal, "How to Avoid an Out-of-Service Violation Due to Tires," 2021.
• [7] 49 C.F.R. § 393.75, eCFR, current as of July 2026.
• [8] National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Tire-Related Factors in the Pre-Crash Phase, Report No. DOT HS 811 617, April 2012.
• [9] National Transportation Safety Board, Highway Investigation Report HIR-25/04, Tire Failure, Motorcoach Roadway Departure, and Rollover, Wawayanda, New York, July 10, 2025.
• [10] Id.
• [11] Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, "CVSA Releases 2025 International Roadcheck Results," October 2025.
• [12] Id.
• [13] Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, "CVSA Releases 2024 International Roadcheck Results," October 2024.
• [14] 49 C.F.R. § 396.3, eCFR, current as of July 2026.
• [15] 49 C.F.R. § 396.11, eCFR, current as of July 2026.
• [16] National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, "Tires" (TireWise).
• [17] Benedict v. Hankook Tire Co. Ltd., No. 3:17-CV-109, 2018 WL 1655358 (E.D. Va. Apr. 5, 2018).
• [18] National Transportation Safety Board, Highway Investigation Report HIR-25/04, Tire Failure, Motorcoach Roadway Departure, and Rollover, Wawayanda, New York, July 10, 2025.
• [19] Id.
• [20] Van Winkle v. Rogers, 82 F.4th 370 (5th Cir. 2023).
• [21] National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, "Consumer Alert: Goodyear Issues Recall for Select Tires Used on RVs," June 7, 2022.
• [22] National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Defects Investigation, Part 573 Safety Recall Report No. 22T-009, 2022.