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Tire Blowout Costs College Athlete His Life

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This week saw a major tragedy on the East Coast, as University of Georgia track star, Torrin Lawrence was pronounced dead at the scene of a car accident. Reports suggest that the collegiate athlete was in route to his Jacksonville, Florida, home when a tire blew on his vehicle. This left him stranded in the middle of traffic on Interstate 75. A tractor trailer failed to stop fast enough and sent Lawrence’s car flying, and the young man was ejected. Still holding records in indoor track events, and having captured SEC and NCAA titles, Lawrence will surely be remember for what he did best. However, among the legacies that he will leave in his wake is the reminder of how dangerous tire failure can be. Tire maintenance is essential. Tire pressure gauges keep drivers aware when air pressure dips below or exceeds the recommended guidelines. Additionally, drivers should carefully monitor the wear on their tires. Tread that is too thin will do little to provide traction and control. Furthermore, low air pressure and worn tread drastically increase the chances of a tire blowout, which can leave drivers in dangerous situations like that faced by Lawrence.

In some instances, it is not a failure to maintain the tires, but rather negligence at play, in an accident like this. If there is a manufacturer defect or a failure to properly install new tires, the accident can rest on the shoulders of the companies at play.

For this reason, it is essential to get to a safe place after a tire blowout, and then to contact a personal injury attorney. In order to remain safe in a situation like this, it is recommended that the driver not come to an abrupt stop or try to quickly maneuver the car to the side of the road. Rather, it is wise to let the bad wheel slow the vehicle naturally and to get out of the flow of traffic when this can be done without putting oneself at further risk. Once this is managed and the car is away from oncoming traffic, phone calls can be made to towing companies, repair shops, insurance companies, and attorneys. It may be possible to recoup some- or all of the expenses attributed to the accident.