Cobb fatality caused by rotten, blown tire

By Kristi E. Swartz

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Cobb County police investigators say a rotten tire led to a fatal wreck on I-20 days before Christmas.

Investigators said they aren't going to hold the tire manufacturers at fault, but they are urging drivers to check the age of their tires to make sure they aren't riding on ones that could be rotting, police spokesman Dana Pierce said.

The tire blew, causing a Ford SUV to roll over on I-20, killing two of its six passengers, WSB-TV reported.

Cobb County Police Officer Pete Jones told WSB that investigators checked the tire to find that it was manufactured in 1996. The tire had rotted away, even though investigators said the tread looked normal.

This isn't the first time an older-made tire has led to wrecks, Jones told WSB. He said drivers need to check how old their tires are -- by looking at the last four of the 12 digits that run along the side of the tires. Small fractures on the tread and sidewall can be a warning sign of dry rot, he said.

"If it sits on a shelf for a few years prior to being mounted on a vehicle, it can deteriorate, dry rot and then when you put a load on it on at a highway speed, it can come apart," Jones said.