Summertime heat can increase chance of truck tire blowouts

In the heat of the summer months, motorists on Kentucky interstates may see an increase in truck tire debris. Officials are warning motorists to be aware of possible safety concerns as they travel.

Sergeant Jason Morris with Kentucky State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement said the safety concerns when a tire blowout occurs, can vary depending upon the location of the exploding rubber. Morris noted an up-front incident can lead to a catastrophic crash.

“You’ll have that vehicle sit down on the wheel and often times it will pull the truck toward the direction of the blowout. And for the most part it is instantaneous,” said Morris.

Morris said broken up tire fragments can be heavy and that debris can lead to vehicle crashes. The KSP officer noted every truck driver is required to perform a pre-trip inspection including an examination of tires. Morris added drivers can go years without a tire blowout, with careful inspection.

Jason Morris works in commercial vehicle enforcement at the I-65 scale northbound just inside the Kentucky-Tennessee border. He said between eight and 12,000 trucks roll through in 24 hours. Morris said a tire anomaly system installed a few years ago can catch uninflated or flat tires.

“We have seen a lot of flat tires..under-inflated tires since those systems have been put in place. And we’ve saved a lot of blowouts or tire failures in the process,” said Morris.

Morris said the summertime heat of the pavement can contribute to blowouts. He noted drivers are required to conduct a pre-trip inspection which includes examing tire condition. The police sergeant added commercial trucks are necessary to move the country economically. Morris said drivers have a tough job and the groceries get to the store one way, quote, “by the grace of those drivers.”

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