The Atlanta Journal Constitution reported that 2 people were killed and 10 were seriously injured in southern Mississippi when a motorhome crashed on its way to tonight’s championship game between LSU v. Alabama in New Orleans. The motorhome, driven by Alfred Hold, Jr. of Lithonia, Georgia, lost control after it blew a tire, ran off the roadway and struck a tree in the median.
There were 14 people traveling in the motorhome. Mr. Holt and Darryl Parker of Riverdale, GA were ejected and killed. Ten other passengers were taken to local hospital for treatment: two patients are in ICU in “extremely critical condition,” three passengers are in stable condition, and several others were treated and released.
As I stated above, the accident occurred with the motorhome’s tire blew and it ran off the roadway sticking a tree. I can’t express enough how important it is to check the condition of your tires on a regular basis and again before long trips. Proper tire maintenance is an important safety function that is often neglected. Your tires are the only contact between your vehicle and the road.
UNDER-INFLATED TIRES:
Like I said above, you should check your tire pressure at least once a month and again before you travel long distances. Below are some steps for maintaining proper tire pressure:
- Locate the recommended tire pressure on the vehicle’s tire information placard, certification label, or in the owner’s manual;
- Record the tire pressure of all tires;
- If the tire pressure is too high in any of the tires, slowly release air by gently pressing on the tire valve stem with the edge of your tire gauge until you get to the correct pressure;
- If the tire pressure is too low, note the difference between the measured tire pressure and the correct tire pressure. These “missing” pounds of pressure are what you will need to add;
- At a service station, add the missing pounds of air pressure to each tire that is under-inflated; and
- Check all the tires to make sure they have the same air pressure (except in cases in which the front and rear tires are supposed to have different amounts of pressure).
WORN TIRE TREAD:
Another cause of tire failure is worn tire tread. Your tire’s tread provides the gripping action and traction that prevent your car from slipping or sliding. Worn tire tread can not only cause you to lose control of your vehicle but is can even cause your tire to have a blow out.
How Can You Tell if Your Tire Tread is Dangerous:
You should replace your tire when the tread it worn down to 1/16 of an inch. Tires have a built-in treadwear indicator that will let you know when it is time to replace them. These indicators are raised sections spaced intermittently in the bottom of the tread grooves. When they appear “even” with the outside of the tread, it is time to replace your tires. Another method for checking tread depth is to place a penny in the tread with Lincoln’s head upside down and facing you. If you can see the top of Lincoln’s head, you are ready for new tires.