Filed under: Family Camping, RV Maintenance, RVing with Grand Kids, Safety on the Road, Traveling Tips
Deadly RV Crash Result of Tire Blow Out
June 23, 2012 by Rex Vogel · 4 Comments
A deadly crash that involved several people in a recreational vehicle resulted from a tire blow out.
Keeping tires properly inflated doesn’t just eliminate the practice of checking a tire’s air pressure and finding a tire pump and gauge that works. (Credit: thefuntimesguide.com)
Seven people were inside the motorhome when the tire blew. The driver was killed and three children were injured.
The RV was traveling west on Loop 202 in Phoenix (Arizona) when the front left tire apparently blew out, causing the driver Lee T. Holt to lose control.
Holt, 36, was ejected from the RV when it slammed into light poles and hit the median, according to Bart Graves, spokesman for the Arizona Department of Public Safety.
A 9-year-old passenger, Hayden Holt, was in serious condition and may require surgery for internal injuries, said Jane Walton of Phoenix Children’s Hospital.
Five other passengers suffered non-life-threatening injuries, Graves said.
Holt was taken to the Maricopa Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.
The Department of Public Safety is investigating whether the tire was faulty or improperly maintained.
Officers are hoping that the crash serves as a warning to drivers about the importance of preventative tire maintenance.
In Arizona, it seems to be more because of the heat, according to Officer Tim Case.
You’ll see a lot more of the tread wear on the tire. It’s imperative, especially during Arizona’s sweltering summer heat that your tires are in good shape.
Causes of blowouts
Each month 3 out of 4 drivers wash their cars while only 1 out of 7 checks tire pressure. (Credit: autoblog.com)
Blowouts can occur with a combination of high temperatures, low tire pressure, and low tire tread. It was not yet known if this was the cause of the blowout.
During a blowout, the driver should remain calm and slightly accelerate before gently applying the brakes.
By not turning the wheel sharply, the driver should pull their vehicle over when it’s safe to do so.
Officials did not know how Holt reacted during the blowout and were still investigating the incident.
Proper Tire Maintenance
Proper tire maintenance is an important safety function often neglected. The importance of properly maintaining your tires cannot be overemphasized. Remember, tires are the only contact between your vehicle and the road.
Under inflation is the leading cause of tire failure. A tire can be as much as 50% under inflated before it is visibly noticeable.
Under-inflated tires create excessive heat, break down tire walls, create greater instability while driving, and decrease fuel economy. A vehicle with under-inflated tires is slower to respond to steering corrections.
Not only are under inflated tires more prone to damage and failure, but they can lead to higher fuel costs by as much as 3 to 5¢ per gallon.
Over-inflated tires, on the other hand, can cause an RV to ride rough. Tire over-inflation can also increase your risk of hydroplaning on wet roads.
Check your tires’ air pressure at least once a month, before each trip, and ideally each morning you drive during a road trip.
Inflation pressures should be checked when tires are cold, which means before they are driven.
Proper Tire Care Can Save Your Life
Properly caring for your tires isn’t just good for your vehicle, it could save your life.
It’s reported that there are 100 deaths across the country each year because of under-inflated tires, something that is easily fixed.
Determining Proper Tire Pressure
Don’t let your treads become tired!
To determine the correct tire pressures for your motorhome, neither Michelin nor Goodyear recommends using the inflation pressure (psi) imprinted on the tire sidewall. That psi is correct only for carrying the maximum weight, which is also imprinted on the sidewall.
Instead, motorhome owners should consult the RV tire guides provided by the respective tire manufacturer. You will see that these companies do not have a single recommended tire pressure for each size tire. They provide a chart wherein the correct pressure is based on the actual weight supported by the tire.
Did You Know?
Each month 3 out of 4 drivers wash their cars while only 1 out of 7 checks tire pressure.
That’s less than 15 percent of all drivers.
Don’t let your treads become tired!
Remember, Safety First, and Happy RVing!
Worth Pondering…
Speed was high
Weather was hot
Tires were thin
X marks the spot
BURMA SHAVE
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Howdy Rex,
Very timely article and EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW THIS; NOT JUST FOR RVs, BUT CARS & TRUCKS, TOO, ALSO!!!! RVrs should drive early in the day during HOT WEATHER to keep tires from getting too hot… Make sure you also check your tires, at rest stops and potty-breaks, when traveling….
Thanx, Rex!!!
Tire pressure is something I check every time before I start out. You would be surprised how many people don’t do this every trip. My brother failed to do that with his travel trailer and went thru two sets of tires on trip to Oregon and back. He learned and expensive lesson on tire pressure.
In the mid-1980s I was driving with my family and my parents on a lonely stretch of highway between Anchorage and Glenallen Alaska in a rented Winnebago Class A. The road was a simple two-lane with no shoulders. Temps were in the mid 80s and there was no traffic – I was driving at about 60 mph. I remember I was talking with my father about his experiences in the Army Air Corps during WWII, when all of sudden the right front tire exploded – it completely shredded with almost nothing left on the wheel rim. I still remember how loud it was.
I wrapped myself around the steering wheel to hold it steady as I slowed to a stop – thankfully still on the road. We were more than 100 miles from any service station in either direction, and this was many years before cell phones. Fortunately we found a jack and tire iron in one of the compartments, pulled the front wheel off and replaced it with the outer wheel of one of the rear duallies. A few hours later we had picked up a new tire in Glenallen and continued on our way to Fairbanks.
I’ve driven at least a quarter million additional miles in motorhomes since then and have never had another tire experience – not even a flat. But I always have a mental plan for what I would do – just in case. That near-miss still haunts me.
I never did get to finish that talk with my Dad.
While tire pressure maintainence is essential, so is knowing the actual loads on the front wheels and thereby the CORRECT tire pressure.
Also,– Look at the crashes where the vehicle has left the road due to a front tire blowout. Almost all are IFS- multilink type (unlike Prevost). The pictures of the wrecks show the wheel still turned to -off the road- no apparent correction.
Scrub steer in IFS is set so that when the body tips in a corner, the vehicle tries to turn toward that side. ie have the vehicle keep straight.
The problem is that with a rapid tire failure, the side drops and the vehicle tries to go more that way. Add increased drag, friction etc and the wheel is impossible to correct. Solid axles don’t have the problem.
Is NHTSA missing something?
Just thoughts—