I RECENTLY HEARD ABOUT FIRESTONE'S RECALL NOTICE. MY DAUGHTER AND NIECE WERE DRIVING MY 1998 EXPLORER ON HIGHWAY 85 IN GASTON COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA, LAST OCTOBER. THE SPEED LIMIT IS 65 MILES PER HOUR. THE BACK TIRE BLEW OUT/CAME OFF THE RIM AND CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. THE EXPLORER FLIPPED OVER TWICE AND SLID ON ITS SIDE ACROSS 3 LANES OF TRAFFIC. FORTUNATELY, NO OTHER CARS WERE INVOLVED. AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT, MY DAUGHTER AND NIECE WERE TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL FOR INJURIES (WHIPLASH, CUTS, ABRASIONS, AND BRUISES). THEY HAD FOLLOW UP VISITS TO THE DOCTOR FOR PAIN AND STIFFNESS AND WERE PUT ON MEDICATION. THE EXPLORER WAS TOTALED. THEREFORE, I LOST THE SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS THAT HAD ALREADY BEEN PAID ON THE VEHICLE, PLUS MEDICAL BILLS, HAD TO PURCHASE ANOTHER VEHICLE, AND MY INSURANCE RATES WERE RAISED. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I DID NOT PURCHASE ANOTHER EXPLORER. ALSO, ONE OF MY BROTHERS ALSO HAD AN ACCIDENT IN HIS EXPLORER. THE TIRE CAME OFF WHEN HE WAS GOING AROUND A CURVE, AND THE EXPLORER FLIPPED OVER AND WAS TOTALED. MY BROTHER WAS INJURED, BUT FORTUNATELY NOT KILLED. SOME INFORMATION ABOUT MY VEHICLE I NO LONGER HAVE BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BY NATIONWIDE INSURANCE.( DOT NUMBER: )