Mahindra Scorpio-Ghazipur Accident: Why Tyre Bursts Happen On Highways?

Recently, an incident involving a Mahindra Scorpio Classic has shaken motorists around the nation. CCTV footage from the Purvanchal Expressway has caught a horrifying incident of a Mahindra Scorpio tumbling down the expressway at high speeds and coming to a halt between the Armco barriers. Although there were no fatalities from the incident, the near-death experience for all those travelling in the SUV raises a question that not many drivers ponder – why do vehicle tyres burst on highways?

In a nation where the economy is growing at a rapid pace and motorists are keen on upgrading to bigger cars with superior dynamics and enhanced comfort, vehicular maintenance often takes a backseat. The annual service schedules from the manufacturers are deemed necessary enough to keep cars and SUVs plying on the road effortlessly. 

However, the Mahindra Scorpio-Ghazipur accident has garnered a lot of attention. Since Hardwire is all in for championing road safety and vehicular maintenance, we decided to throw light on this aspect. This story is all about tyres and how they play a crucial role in ensuring passenger safety. 

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Why tyre maintenance is crucial?

Tyres are more than just a passive component on any vehicle – this is what makes your car or SUV a vehicle. Tyre engineering has come a long way since the early days of the automobile industry, ensuring superior reliability and better performance. Whether you seek to give the utmost traction to your SUV on dirt tracks or extract every last bit of fuel efficiency from your family car, it is the tyre that plays a key role in making it happen. 

However, like all mechanical and electrical components, tyres also require proper maintenance schedules to ensure effortless and, most importantly, safe journeys. Factors like the age of the tyre, the condition of the rubber, the overall construction, the load-bearing capacity and air pressure are necessary aspects to keep your vehicle’s tyres in top shape. 

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So why do tyres burst on highways/expressways?

Among the multiple factors responsible for causing tyre blowouts, here are some common ones to consider:

Constant high-speed driving

Every tyre is marked to be driven under certain speeds and road conditions. Since modern highways and expressways allow for extended periods of high-speed driving, average vehicle tyres encounter a lot more friction-induced heat than the prescribed limit, thus leading to material deterioration and sudden bursts. 

Tip: Please check the prescribed speed limits by your tyre manufacturer and ensure sticking to those limits. 

Improper tyre inflation

Under-inflation is another reason for tyre bursts on Indian roads. Most drivers ignore the air pressure in their vehicle tyres before setting off on a journey. Underinflated tyres generate more heat as a result of a larger contact patch, thus resulting in sudden blowouts. In summer, the same happens with overinflated tyres, where the higher air pressure puts more stress on the rubber compound, thus causing mishaps.

Tip: Ensure your tyre pressures are optimum before setting off on long or short journeys. Try equipping your vehicle with a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) to keep an eye on real-time tyre pressure readouts. Filling Nitrogen instead of air in the tyres also ensures no major loss of pressure over longer distances. 

Overloading

In the Mahindra Scorpio-Ghazipur accident, it was said that the SUV was loaded with seven passengers as well as their luggage. Overloading vehicles with passengers and luggage increases the load on the tyres as well as other suspension components. Tyres, however, tend to give out easily owing to increased loads on the rubber sidewalls.

Tip: It is better to ensure that your car or SUV doesn’t exceed the passenger and luggage limit prescribed by the manufacturer. 

General tyre health

Tyres, like all components, wear out. A badly worn-out tyre is an invitation for disasters on highways and expressways. Lower tread levels, damaged sidewalls and larger punctures often deteriorate the condition of the tyre material and eventually its structure. 

Tip: It is highly advisable to constantly inspect your tyres before embarking on any journey. Ensure that the tyre has at least 1.5 mm of tread depth and that the sidewall structures aren’t cracked. Frequent wheel alignment and balancing help in a major way to elongate the condition of tyres. 

Bad roads

India isn’t alien to unfinished tarmac and badly constructed roads. Tyres, however, don’t like such conditions. A sudden impact with a pothole, debris or uneven tarmac can impart a huge impact and tear the tyre apart, thus leading to a blowout.

Tip: While we can’t advise every Indian to stop driving on poor roads, care should be taken to tackle such conditions while driving. Keep slow speeds over broken tarmac, try avoiding potholes and opt for more durable off-road friendly tyres to stay safe. 

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