# CONTINENTAL SPORT CONTACT — TIRES:SIDEWALL
> NHTSA complaint `2196689` · 2026-04-14 · Continental Tire the Americas, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 1
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** CONTINENTAL
- **Model:** SPORT CONTACT
- **Year:** —
- **Manufacturer:** Continental Tire the Americas, LLC
- **Component:** TIRES:SIDEWALL
## Narrative
Incident Overview: A Continental Control Contact Sport SRS+ tire (DOT 5323) experienced a catastrophic internal structural failure during normal driving on a wet roadway. The tire had approximately 50% tread remaining and was 1–1.5 years old. Failure Description: Inspection indicates internal belt/carcass separation originating within the tire structure, leading to rapid pressure loss and rupture. No road hazard or external impact was present.  Crash Sequence: The failure caused immediate loss of control, vehicle yaw, roadway departure, and multiple impacts (frontal and lateral). The driver airbag deployed, confirming measurable crash force.  Injuries: - Aggravation of pre-existing back condition (surgery required) - Hip labral tear and bone spur (surgery required) - Neck and shoulder pain  Conclusion: The initiating event was a premature internal structural tire failure, not driver negligence or external hazard.
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*