2025 Brake Safety Week is August 24-30
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s national Brake Safety Week will be in full force August 24–30.
Written by Douglas B. Marcello
Shareholder, Trucking and Commercial Transportation
Blown tires and lost treads create liability claims against trucking companies — but there is generally no liability. Smart documentation and maintenance practices can save you thousands in claims.
Hot weather means blown tires and lost treads. Some will hit nearby cars, triggering property damage or injury claims against your company. Claims that you usually don’t owe.
The catch: Most companies don't realize these claims are highly defensible with the right approach.
The legal standard: Negligence must be proven. Did the tire failure result from your company's failure to do something reasonable? Something you or your driver “knew or should have known”?
Document everything:
Key distinction: Make crystal clear in records and photos that this was a "tread off" or "blowout" — not a "wheel off."
Train your team:
Don't automatically pay tire-related claims. With proper documentation and maintenance records, these cases are winnable — even when accidents happen despite your best precautions. It is, most often, not “negligence.”
Review your current tire inspection and documentation procedures. A small investment in better record-keeping can prevent major claim payouts.
[4-minute video on tire and tread defense strategies]
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s national Brake Safety Week will be in full force August 24–30.
Proposed legislation in both the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives would provide resources to ensure cargo theft investigations are coordinated among and between federal, state and local jurisdictions.
According to new research published by American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI), the “average cost” to operate a commercial truck in 2024 was $2.260 per mile.