A car accident in I-29 in St. Joseph has proven to be a fatal one and serves as a reminder for Missouri residents to prepare their vehicles and check their tires for winter weather safety.
Fatal Accident on I-29 in St. Joseph
The accident was a strange one. According to the initial reports, it was around 4am on December 16, 2020, when a car broke down on the interstate. The driver was pushing the vehicle off the highway when another vehicle hit them from behind.
Surprisingly, though, it was the driver of the second vehicle that was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash. The person pushing their car from the highway still suffered serious injuries, though.
Preparing Your Car for Cold Weather
While it is impossible to tell why the car broke down in this particular accident, it does serve as an important reminder for everyone in Missouri to take some time to check their vehicle. There are three quick things that everyone can do to prepare for winter weather in Missouri:
- Check your antifreeze levels
- Check your tire pressure
- Change your wiper fluids
Tires are Especially Vulnerable to Winter Weather
Checking your tire pressure is possibly the easiest and also the most important fix of the three. Your tire pressure drops with the temperature – nearly one pound per square inch, or PSI, for every 10 degrees of Fahrenheit. A lower PSI means that more of the tire’s surface hits the road, which increases the friction. The increase in friction heats up the tire, which can lead to a blowout.
While you are checking your tire pressure, you should also look for signs of wear on the tire. Look for cracks on the sides of the tire – the smooth area with printed information about the tire in between the treads and the hubcap.
Tire companies recommend drivers use the informal “penny test” to see if their tires have enough tread to be effective and safe. Find the grooves that run around the circumference of the tire and that comes into contact with the road when you drive. Grab a penny with your fingers pinching Abraham Lincoln’s body and dip him, head-first, into the grooves. If the tire is worn down, the grooves will be shallow enough that you can always see Lincoln’s hair. If the tire has enough tread, the groove will be deep enough that you cannot see parts of Lincoln’s head.
The winter is when you really need tires have adequate tread to keep your control under control and avoid a serious car accident. If your tires fail the penny test, now is the time to replace them.
St. Joseph Car Accident Lawyers at the Smith Law Office
Avoiding a car accident is crucial. If you have been in one, though, you deserve to be compensated for your losses. The personal injury lawyers at the Smith Law Office serve car crash victims in St. Joseph, Kansas City, and Springfield. Contact them online or call their law office at (816) 875-9373.