FIRESTONE TIRE DEFECT - STEELTEX -- LAST WEEK MY SON AND TWO FRIENDS WAS DRIVING MY EXCURSION AT ABOUT 75 MPH WHEN THE TREAD ON THE LEFT FRONT TIRE SEPARATED. THIS WAS WITNESSED BY AN ON-COMING DRIVER. MY VEHICLE RAN OFF THE ROAD HIT A CULVERT AND FLIPPED END-TO-END. THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE BOTH FRONT TOP AND REAR. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. ONE PASSENGER WAS LIFE-FLIGHTED FROM THE ACCIDENT SCENE. VERY FORTUNATELY ALL OF THE PASSENGERS WERE WEARING SEATBELTS -- ALL WERE INJURED BUT NONE SERIOUSLY -- THE INJURIES OF THE PASSENGER THAT WAS LIFE-FLIGHTED WAS NOT AS SERIOUS AS INITIALLY BELIEVED.