# FIRESTONE WILDERNESS — TIRES
> NHTSA complaint `231685` · 2000-08-09 · FIRESTONE TIRE & RUBBER CO.
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 1
- **Fire:** No
- **Crash:** Yes
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** FIRESTONE
- **Model:** WILDERNESS
- **Year:** —
- **Manufacturer:** FIRESTONE TIRE & RUBBER CO.
- **Component:** TIRES
## Narrative
I WAS DRIVING FROM L.A. TO PHOENIX ON 6/13/98.  PRIOR TO MY DEPARTURE FROM L.A., ALL OF THE TIRES WERE CHECKED FOR THE DRIVE.  THEY WERE ALL IN GOOD CONDITION.   AT 9:30AM I WAS DRIVING EAST ON I-10 @ 75MPH WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ON.  THE ROAD BECAME BUMPY AND I SWITCHED LANES.   MY VEHICLE IMMEDIATELY LUNGED TO THE LEFT AND I REALIZED THAT MY LEFT REAR TIRE HAD BLOWN, AND THE RIM HAD CAUGHT THE PAVEMENT.  I WRESTLED TO KEEP THE VEHICLE STRAIGHT WHILE HEADING FOR AN OFF-RAMP TO AVOID TRAFFIC & AN UPCOMING OVERPASS.   IT FISH-TAILED BACK AND FORTH UNTIL AND BEGAN TO SLIDE SIDEWAYS.  IT SLID THROUGH A ROAD SIGN AND THEN ROLLED OVER ENDING UPSIDE DOWN BESIDE THE ROAD, FACING TRAFFIC.   THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED AND I SUFFERED MANY CUTS TO MY HEAD (ALONG WITH MANY STRAINED MUSCLES.)  I WAS LUCKY.    THE CHP REPORT HELD ME RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CRASH.  I CONTENDED AT THE TIME THAT THE BLOW-OUT WAS MORE ABRUPT AND SEVER THAN ANY I HAD EVER EXPERIENCED, AND THAT CONTROLLING THE VEHICLE WITH SUCH AN ABRUPT BLOW AT THAT SPEED WAS IMPOSSIBLE.  I DISPUTED THE REPORT.  I ALSO COMPLAINED TO THE DEALER, THE DMV AND THE INSURANCE AGENCY.  ALL HELD ME RESPONSIBLE AND THE DEALER OFFERED THAT I COULD TRY AND SUE THE TIRE COMPANY.  I DIDN'T.  AS A RESULT, I LOST A NEW CAR, AND SPENT MANY WEEKS RECUPERATING.  MY INSURANCE RATES ALSO INCREASED AS WELL AS RECEIVING A POINT ON MY DRIVERS LICENSE.    I DID MANAGE TO HAVE SOME PICTURES TAKEN OF THE FORD & THE BLOWN TIRE FOLLOWING THE CRASH.  THE POLICE 
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*