An early morning crash involving an 18-wheeler brought traffic to a standstill just outside Lytle, Texas, after the vehicle reportedly lost control. According to reports, the crash occurred around 2 a.m. on the northbound lanes of Interstate 35 between Benton City Road and Main Street. Authorities say the driver of the semi-truck lost control due to a reported tire failure, which caused the truck to crash and ignite. Emergency crews were able to rescue the driver from the wreck, and he was transported to a San Antonio hospital. His current condition has not been disclosed.
Whenever I hear about a crash where a mechanical failure like a blown tire leads to a serious accident, I think about how critical it is to identify why that part failed. In my experience, tire blowouts are often not random. They may point to deeper problems with vehicle maintenance, tire manufacturing, or fleet oversight.
Was the Tire Defect the Result of Poor Maintenance or a Manufacturing Flaw?
One of the most important questions to investigate in this case is whether the tire failure stemmed from improper upkeep or an actual defect in the tire’s design or materials. If the tire was underinflated, worn past its usable tread depth, or mismatched for the load it was carrying, that could suggest maintenance issues. On the other hand, if the tire was fairly new and showed no signs of abuse, investigators should consider whether a design flaw or manufacturing defect led to the failure.
Tires used on commercial trucks must meet stringent federal safety standards. If a manufacturer released a tire with a structural defect, such as poor bonding, sidewall weakness, or faulty materials, that could have serious implications for product liability.
What Evidence Should Be Collected to Determine the Cause of the Failure?
To get to the bottom of what caused this crash, investigators should preserve the damaged tire and conduct a forensic examination of its components. This includes looking for signs of belt separation, tread delamination, or overheating. Maintenance logs for the truck should also be reviewed to determine when the tire was last inspected, rotated, or replaced. If the fleet uses a tire monitoring system, those readings could provide valuable data on tire pressure and temperature before the blowout occurred.
Additionally, the truck’s Engine Control Module (ECM) may provide information on speed and braking at the time of the crash, helping to piece together how the failure affected the driver’s ability to respond.
Why Investigating Tire Failures Is So Important
From my experience, crashes involving blowouts are often dismissed as “accidents” with no further inquiry. But tires are one of the most important components of a commercial vehicle’s safety system, and a failure at highway speed can be serious. Whether this tire failed because of a manufacturing flaw or due to neglect in upkeep, someone may ultimately be responsible for putting an unsafe vehicle on the road. A proper investigation is the only way to ensure that what happened is fully understood.