A woman spectator was killed this weekend when a tire flew off a drag racing car and hit her before the vehicle crashed at the National Hot Rod Association Arizona Nationals in Chan
dler, Ariz., according to USA Today.
http://www.usatoday.com/sports/motor/nhra/2010-02-21-crewmember-injury-phoenix_N.htm
The unidentified woman was taken from Firebird International Raceway by helicopter to Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix and died there several hours later.
The accident during the first round of the Arizona Nationals is reportedly the first non-participant death at an NHRA event since the mid-1970s, according to the Arizona Republic.
http://www.azcentral.com/sports/speed/articles/2010/02/21/20100221nhra-firebird-raceway-fan-injured.html
The accident took place Sunday when Top Fuel dragster Antron Brown lost control, crossed into the lane of his rival Troy Buff and then hit a wall. The car flipped onto its right side, caught fire and then its left rear tire flew off and went into a crowd of bystanders.
Brown was examined at Chandler Regional Medical Center and released.
In a statement, the NHRA said it was investigating the crash.
“The entire NHRA community is deeply saddened by today’s incident and sends its thoughts and prayers to the woman’s family and friends,” the organization said.
Rain postponed the rest of the race Sunday. It was set to resume Monday.
Worn, Mismatched Tires Likely Lead to SUV’s Rollover
We’ve made a crusade of warning the public of the care that must be taken with their tire placement, and here’s another incident that bears us out.
Authorities in Port Saint Lucie, Fla., were blaming mismatched tires on an SUV with causing the vehicle to roll over, ejecting several children. Luckily, the victims didn’t sustain any critical injuries. See http://www.cbs12.com/news/lucie-4724233-port-turnpike.html
In the accident, a man was driving his 1997 Ford Explorer with five kids, all younger than 13, on the Turnpike.
His right rear passenger tire blew, he lost control of the SUV and it rolled over several times.
Three of the children were thrown out of the vehicle. They were hospitalized, but did not sustain any serious injury.
Authorities said that the tire that failed was a different brand than those on the SUV’s other three wheels. And the front left tire was badly worn and needed to be changed.
The main cause of accidents on the Turnpike are worn-out and under-inflated tires, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. To that list we would add having uneven tread between front and back tires, with the better tires on the front. See http://car-accident-rain.com for more information.
Authorities in Port Saint Lucie, Fla., were blaming mismatched tires on an SUV with causing the vehicle to roll over, ejecting several children. Luckily, the victims didn’t sustain any critical injuries. See http://www.cbs12.com/news/lucie-4724233-port-turnpike.html
In the accident, a man was driving his 1997 Ford Explorer with five kids, all younger than 13, on the Turnpike.
His right rear passenger tire blew, he lost control of the SUV and it rolled over several times.
Three of the children were thrown out of the vehicle. They were hospitalized, but did not sustain any serious injury.
Authorities said that the tire that failed was a different brand than those on the SUV’s other three wheels. And the front left tire was badly worn and needed to be changed.
The main cause of accidents on the Turnpike are worn-out and under-inflated tires, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. To that list we would add having uneven tread between front and back tires, with the better tires on the front. See http://car-accident-rain.com for more information.
Alaska Mulls Making Snow Tires Mandatory
Better tires? Sounds like a great idea, right. Well not if they put the new tires on only the front. See http://car-accident-rain.com All tire manufacturers agree that it is extremely dangerous to have newer tires on the front of a vehicle than on the back.
Alaska lawmakers are weighing whether to require state residents to install winter tires on their vehicles from mid-December to mid-March.
http://newsminer.com/view/full_story/6376818/article-Alaska-Legislature-considers-making-snow-tires-mandatory?instance=home_news_window_left_top_2
The bill also permits the use of studded tires, as well as name-brand tires that the Alaska Department of Public Safety deems acceptable.
The Alaska Legislature’s transportation committee had a hearing on the tire bill Tuesday, when a proposal to bar the use of cell phones by drivers was also discussed.
At the hearing tire company officials said that most winter accidents and deaths in the far northern United States and Europe are caused by problems with turning. We wonder why they didn’t raise the issue they all agree about with respect to assuring that if only two tires are replaced, they must go on the back. This rule would apply even more so for snow tires. Remember, the natural inclination would be to put the snow tires on the front of a front wheel drive car.
Alaska lawmakers are weighing whether to require state residents to install winter tires on their vehicles from mid-December to mid-March.
http://newsminer.com/view/full_story/6376818/article-Alaska-Legislature-considers-making-snow-tires-mandatory?instance=home_news_window_left_top_2
The bill also permits the use of studded tires, as well as name-brand tires that the Alaska Department of Public Safety deems acceptable.
The Alaska Legislature’s transportation committee had a hearing on the tire bill Tuesday, when a proposal to bar the use of cell phones by drivers was also discussed.
At the hearing tire company officials said that most winter accidents and deaths in the far northern United States and Europe are caused by problems with turning. We wonder why they didn’t raise the issue they all agree about with respect to assuring that if only two tires are replaced, they must go on the back. This rule would apply even more so for snow tires. Remember, the natural inclination would be to put the snow tires on the front of a front wheel drive car.
Toronto Maple Leaf GM’s Son Killed in Indiana Crash
The son of Brian Burke, general manager of the NHL Toronto Maple Leafs, and another youth were both killed in a head-on crash with a truck in central Indiana Friday. http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Leafs+Burke+killed+accident/2529702/story.html
Brendan Burke, 21, of Canton, Mass., and Mark Reedy died when the car Burke was driving skidded on ice and hit a truck on Highway 35 near Economy, Ind. The accident took place about 70 miles northeast of Indianapolis. Reedy was an 18-year-old Michigan State University freshman studying engineering.
A heavy snowfall made roads slippery and Burke’s 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee hit a 1997 Ford truck head-on.
Burke attended Miami University in Ohio and had a job with the school’s hockey team.
His death brings into question whether his father will go through with plans to attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver Feb. 12.
In a press release, the Maple Leafs said, “We are saddened to report that Brendan Burke, the youngest son of Toronto president and general manager Brian Burke, succumbed to injuries he suffered in an auto accident earlier today in Indiana. The family asks for privacy at this very difficult time.”
As we have said repeatedly on this blog, fully understanding what happened in this accident requires an inspection and investigation of the relative tread on the tires on Burke’s vehicle. If the tires on the front were newer than those on the back, this might be what caused the skid. For more information on potential liability of non-drivers in skidding accidents, see http://car-accident-rain.com
Brendan Burke, 21, of Canton, Mass., and Mark Reedy died when the car Burke was driving skidded on ice and hit a truck on Highway 35 near Economy, Ind. The accident took place about 70 miles northeast of Indianapolis. Reedy was an 18-year-old Michigan State University freshman studying engineering.
A heavy snowfall made roads slippery and Burke’s 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee hit a 1997 Ford truck head-on.
Burke attended Miami University in Ohio and had a job with the school’s hockey team.
His death brings into question whether his father will go through with plans to attend the opening ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Vancouver Feb. 12.
In a press release, the Maple Leafs said, “We are saddened to report that Brendan Burke, the youngest son of Toronto president and general manager Brian Burke, succumbed to injuries he suffered in an auto accident earlier today in Indiana. The family asks for privacy at this very difficult time.”
As we have said repeatedly on this blog, fully understanding what happened in this accident requires an inspection and investigation of the relative tread on the tires on Burke’s vehicle. If the tires on the front were newer than those on the back, this might be what caused the skid. For more information on potential liability of non-drivers in skidding accidents, see http://car-accident-rain.com
Canadian Tire Retailer Institutes ‘Four or Nothing’ Policy On Snow Tire Sales
After facing a rash of lawsuits, the company Canadian Tire is refusing to sell customers just two snow tires, the Halifax Chronicle-Herald reported. http://www.tirereview.com/Article/70473/canadian_tire_has_strict_four_or_nothing_winter_tire_policy.aspx
The tire retailer’s outlets in Halifax, Canada, has adopted a “four or nothing” policy in terms of supplying snow tires.
Canadian Tire has tried to educate consumers on the importance of having four snow tires on your vehicle, not just two, the story said. One service manager was quoted as saying that Canadian Tire had a number of lawsuits pending against it from drivers who had accidents after buying and driving around with only two winter tires.
In the litigation, the tire retailer was blamed for permitting customers to buy only two snow tires, not four.
“It’s an established fact that four snow tires are required for maximum safety for winter driving,” the service manager, Frank Glazer, told the Chronicle-Herald.
The issue is not just new tires all around, but also that under no circumstances are the tires on front, to have more traction than those on the back. If it were a front wheel drive car and you put the snow tires on the front, this would be a recipe for disaster. See our webpage that explains this in detail: http://car-accident-rain.com
The tire retailer’s outlets in Halifax, Canada, has adopted a “four or nothing” policy in terms of supplying snow tires.
Canadian Tire has tried to educate consumers on the importance of having four snow tires on your vehicle, not just two, the story said. One service manager was quoted as saying that Canadian Tire had a number of lawsuits pending against it from drivers who had accidents after buying and driving around with only two winter tires.
In the litigation, the tire retailer was blamed for permitting customers to buy only two snow tires, not four.
“It’s an established fact that four snow tires are required for maximum safety for winter driving,” the service manager, Frank Glazer, told the Chronicle-Herald.
The issue is not just new tires all around, but also that under no circumstances are the tires on front, to have more traction than those on the back. If it were a front wheel drive car and you put the snow tires on the front, this would be a recipe for disaster. See our webpage that explains this in detail: http://car-accident-rain.com