Straits Times : Blown tyre causes SUV to flip - five hurt

[g8crasher]

This incident is a gentle reminder to ensure your vehicle is well maintained. Always ensure your tyre pressure is correct once every 2 weeks, make sure there is sufficient thread depth and the tyres are not too old!

Blown tyre causes SUV to flip - five hurt

Thu, Sep 04, 2008

The Straits Times

Five Singaporeans were hurt when their sports utility vehicle (SUV) flipped on the North-South Highway on Tuesday while on the way to Genting.

According to Lianhe Wanbao yesterday, the car's left-rear tyre blew near Malacca, sending the SUV, carrying a group of 10 holiday-makers, careening into a road divider.

Four passengers, aged 10 to 42 years, suffered minor injuries. The 39-year-old driver was more badly hurt. There were no details on the other five passengers.

[Guest angela]

1 suv supposed to carry 5 people maybe 7 with 3rd row seats carrying 10 people? kinda increases the danger too right?

[Guest jameslhm]

maybe is not didnt check the pressure maybe its too heavy and most likely travelling at high speed.......

[Guest eyke]

1. Ensure tyres not underinflated.

As it causes tyre to overheat and in extreme case -> blow.

it's good practice to pump at least every 2wks and check tyre condition at the same time.

if you too lazy to do it so often, can over-inflate by a few PSIs to compensate.

2. Don't drive SUV.

You may still flip when tyre blows even if not driving SUV, but with SUV's higher centre of gravity, it's more prone to roll over and flip.

3. Drive as slow as you can sanely and legally manage.

4. Use run-flat tyres.

5. Buckle-up. Especially kids, otherwise they become pinballs inside the car and then may be thrown out of the car after finishing pinballing.

6. Be on the lookout for debris/potholes on the road. Potholes collect debris...

7. Don't overload.

[Guest hwong]

Premature tyre failure mainly occurs at the tyre side wall, caused by too much bending and straightening of the side wall.

Notice that some tyre side wall "bulge out" near the road and straight at the top near the wheel arch of the car body?

This is usually caused by under-inflated tyre or too heavy vehicle load on what the tyre can handle.

Even driving at recommended tyre speed with the above cause the tyre side wall to bend and straighten so fast that heat builds up. Not to mention driving at higher speeds.

With the conditions on the tyre specification exceeded, any part of the tyre side that becomes weak enough to tear will result in tyre burst, if not punctured by external object.

Visual inspection for the buldging as a guage to inflate tyres is helpful.

However, regular checking with a maintained air pump is best.

Even built-in tyre pressure sensors system in vehicles may malfunction.

Tyres are our contacts to the road to stop the car together with the brake system.

No compromises for both.

[Guest eyke]

Visual inspection for the buldging as a guage to inflate tyres is helpful.

However, regular checking with a maintained air pump is best.

visual check for bulging not so helpful as difference between properly inflated and very much under-inflated is not that obvious.

by the time you spot bulging, it'll be severely under-inflated.

check this out: http://www.tyresafety.net/circle.html

[Guest fruitcakepablohoney]

I've seen too many of our S'pore plate MPV's overloaded with too many passengers. Just waiting for something to happen.