Danger of Worn Tyres

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXIV, Issue 19397, 7 August 1937, Page 9

Danger of Worn Tyres

AN interesting ease, arising out of a motor accident, in which the plaintiff was awarded £ISOO damages, was decided in the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania recently. A car shod with a tyre in a dangerous state of wear, collided with another car when the lyre blew out'. The driver alleged in court that he did not know the tyre was in a dahgerous condition. Jo summing up and awarding damages, the presiding judge made , a statement with which all careful motorists will agree. The judge said:— "It docs not require expert evidence to demonstrate that a trigger pulled on a loaded gun makes the gun a dangerous instrument when pointed at a person: nor could one escape liability by saying he did not know it was dangerous. The use ol a tyre worn through to the fabric presents a similar situation. The rule must, be rigid if people drive automobiles, which in a fraction of a second may become instruments of destruction to life and property. All operators of automobiles must be hold 1o a knowledge of these facts. Owners or operators cannot escape merely because they did not know. The hazard is 100 great to permit tyres in this condition to be used on the highways. Tin* law will assume that operators do know of the dangers ascertainable by examination.”