Yesterday a ghastly accident took place on the NH-44 that claimed three lives. The accident took place in Pamidi Mandal, about 30 kms from Anantapur. Among the deceased were the Vice Chancellor of JNTU Anantapur, his personal assistant and his driver. Now you maybe wondering why we are reporting on an accident. Your question will be answered soon enough.
What caused the accident?
The trio were travelling in an Innova. While they were driving, one of the front tyres that were on the car burst. According to news reports, the car was travelling at above 100 kmph at that time. Due to the tyre burst, the driver lost control of the car and hit the median. Due to the speed the vehicle possessed, the car went onto the other side of the road and crashed into a truck that was coming in the opposite direction. The result is what you can see in the pictures below:
The front end of the Innova has been crushed. The impact has reduced the car to something smaller than a hatchback. Everything ahead of the B-pillar of the vehicle is now crushed. Since the truck has a rigid structure up front, it was almost like hitting a wall. The impact was so severe that the people seated upfront died almost instantly and a crane had to be called to extract the bodies of their bodies.
Now that accident we could not prevent but we can prevent something like this from happening in the future.
Why tyre bursts occur?
- The main cause for tyre burst is improper inflation of the tyre. If the tyre is underinflated, it is the largest cause for a tyre burst. If a tyre is underinflated, it sits on the ground more thus increasing the contact patch. Larger contact patch results in more friction and more heat generation which in turns leads to the tyre bursting.
- Another cause is overloading. Overloading a car puts a lot of stress on the tyres which could result in a tyre burst.
- Damaged tyres can also be a cause for a tyre burst. If the tyre has cuts or bulges, they should be replaced to prevent this from happening.
- Overspeeding on tyres that aren’t designed to take that load rating could also result in a tyre burst. Each tyre has a specific load and speed rating which they are designed for. If they are pushed beyond that, there is a chance that it could burst.
How do you prevent one?
- Make sure your tyres are properly inflated at all times.
- Check tyre pressure when the tyres are cold, not after a high speed run.
- Tyres should be in the best condition. There shouldn’t be any cuts or bulges.
- Never overload the car.
- Don’t speed past the speed rating your tyre is designed for.
- Make sure to buy the best possible tyre for your car as that is the only contact between you and the road. Don’t go for ones that have poor quality. In other words, avoid obscure Chinese makes.
What to do in case of a tyre burst?
- Don’t slam on the brake. If you do that, you will loose the ability to control the car. Try regaining steering control and hold the steering wheel as tightly as possible to make it go straight again. Make sure to gentle with all inputs, be it the accelerator, brake or the steering.
- Accelerating the car gently after the tyre has burst helps in keeping the car steady on the road. However, this must be done only if the car is still on the road.
Source: Link