What is a tread separation?
A tread separation occurs because of the steel belted radial tire technology. A report that was released in October 2001 from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration said that the tread separations studied in the Bridgestone/Firestone accidents reduced the ability of a driver to control the vehicle, especially when the tire failure occurred on a rear tire and at high speeds. There was a much greater likelihood for death, injury, and crashes resulting when the tread separation occurred on an SUV rather than a pickup truck.
