A Toyota Innova was travelling on NH-44, around 30 kms from Anantapur at a speed of over 100 kmph when its front tyre burst. This caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle which then jumped the median careening across the road where it crashed into an oncoming truck.
Front end of the Innova, right from its B pillar onwards, was completely crushed causing instantaneous death of the occupants. The mangled remains made it difficult to remove the bodies and a crane had to be called in to do the needful. Among the deceased were Vice Chancellor of JNTU Anantapur, his personal assistant and his driver.
Since accidents due to tyre burst is a regular occurrence on Indian roads we give below reasons for the same and precautions to be taken to prevent such an accident.
Reasons why tyre bursts occur:
– Improper inflation – There are many reasons for tyre burst but the main reason is improper inflation. If a tyre is under inflated it sits more on the ground causing a larger contact patch which in turn causes more friction and added heat generation, thus leading to tyre burst.
– Overloading – Overloading a truck or a car is a common phenomenon. This causes increased stress on the tyres which could lead to tyre burst.
– Low quality tyres – Low quality or damaged tyres can also cause tyre burst. Tyres noted with cuts and bulges should be repaired or replaced immediately so as to prevent such a mishap from occurring.
– Over-speeding – Tyres are not designed to tackle overspeeding beyond a certain limit. If pushed beyond this limit they could burst.
Steps to be taken into account to prevent a tyre burst:
– Maintain tyres in prime condition.
– Ensure they are not over or under inflated at all times
– Note any cuts or bulges on the tyres
– Do not compromise on quality of tyres used as tyres are the only contact between vehicle occupants and road
– Ensure that tread wear indicator, marked on the side of each tyre is intact. Tyres should never be allowed to wear down to the level of the indicator, which is usually 1.6mm of tread thickness
– Keep maximum speed limit at 100 kmph as anything over this limit puts extreme pressure on tyres for most vehicles on our roads.
Things to do in the event of tyre burst:
– Do not slam on the brakes – this will make the driver lose control of the vehicle causing a serious accident. Drivers noting tyre burst should take control of steering and hold onto the wheel as securely as possible
– Do not abruptly take the foot off accelerator
– Try to keep the vehicle pointed straight ahead
– Allow vehicle to gradually coast to a stop
