The tire flew over the concrete barrier at the center of the highway and hit the mother as she drove her GMC SUV. She died instantly, while her 17-year-old son, who slept in the front passenger seat, was taken to a hospital with serious injuries.
The accident happened around 7 pm on the Eastex Freeway 30 miles northeast of Houston and caused a three-hour road stop. Investigators said that after the tire hit her mother’s windshield, her car hit the back of another car driven by a man with his three children as passengers. The family was taken to a local hospital and is in a serious but stable condition.
The KTRK reported that the investigators did not say what caused the tire and wheel to fall off the Dodge truck.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has warned that it is not uncommon to find cars on the roads with one or more tires over or under inflated. When tires are not kept at the recommended pressure, this can lead to rapid wear and breakage, which can cause accidents.
NHTSA recommends checking your tire pressure monthly, not ignoring your vehicle’s tire pressure warnings and rotating your tires regularly to protect the tread.