Most Defect-Related Accidents Caused by Older Vehicles

Drivers in Tennessee may own an older vehicle for good reason: If they maintain it, it could run for some 300,000 miles and last 15 years or longer. Besides, newer cars are expensive. They also tend to come with sensors and other electronics that are costly to replace. As a result, the average age of vehicles on the road is increasing across the nation.

In Ohio, for example, the age has gone up from 9.6 years in 2002 to 11.8 years in 2020 according to the Ohio Insurance Institute. Unfortunately, those who own older vehicles tend to neglect routine maintenance like brake checks and tire replacement, which means defective equipment.

According to the Ohio Highway Patrol, 56% of defect-related car crashes that occurred in the state in the past three years were caused by model year 1999-2008 vehicles. On the other hand, model year 2008-2018 vehicles caused 24% of such accidents. Forty-two percent of those defect-related crashes that ended in fatality were the result of a blown tire. Tire blowouts, along with brake failure, were the leading factors in these types of crashes.

All owners are encouraged to fix any issues with their vehicles right away despite any high upfront costs. Otherwise, they may be in a wreck and be blamed for it.

Those who incurred a personal injury in a defect-related crash may want to find out if the other driver had a reasonable amount of time to fix the issue in his or her car. It must also be the kind of issue that a vehicle owner can reasonably be aware of. These questions will largely determine whether or not victims can file a personal injury claim. To have their case evaluated, victims may see a lawyer. If hired, the lawyer may help victims strive for a settlement.