There are many different causes of personal injury accidents, but keeping up with appropriate vehicle maintenance is one way for drivers to minimize the chances that they’ll end up on the side of the road or dealing with the repercussions of a personal injury lawsuit. This is particularly problematic for those people who are unaware of common maintenance issues. A new study found that one out of every three American drivers is not able to tell if their tires are bald. Bald tires could cause a total vehicle breakdown. Worn down bald tires that have little to no tread could put someone at risk for a serious accident.

Unfortunately, a growing portion of the population can’t tell a bald tire from a normal one. Research from the U.S. Tire Manufacturers Association shows that up to 35% of American drivers can’t tell if their tire is no longer in working condition. Approximately, 40% of survey respondents think that they can tell if their tires are under-inflated just by viewing it and only 17% of respondents knew how to check their tire pressure.

Those vehicles who have one or two bald tires are three times as likely to end up in a serious vehicle crash, according to research completed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Properly inflating and checking tires is a critical step in order to ensure that the tires last longer, but also to protect you and others on the road. Tread wear indicator can be found on the vast majority of tires. These are various sections that run in-between the tires’ tread. When the tread becomes so worn down that it is level with the tread indicator, it is time to replace the tires. People can also test their tires’ tread with any coin they have available. If you have already been hurt in a serious accident caused by someone else’s bald tires because they failed to get appropriate maintenance done, you need to consult with an attorney sooner rather than later.