Why They Happen, and Why They Lead to Accidents THE DANGER OF TIRE BLOWOUTS
OCTOBER 2017: DATES OF CONSEQUENCE October 1: Feast of St. Therese of Liseux October 4: Benet soccer versus Marian Catholic in Lisle October 6: Marquette Madness at the Al McGuire Center October 7: Notre Dame football at North Carolina October 16: Feast Day of St. Margaret Mary Alacoque October 21: Nora playoff volleyball game at Sacred Heart October 22: Feast of St. John Paul II October 25: Patrick Joseph Shannon’s birthday October 28: Illinois football versus Wisconsin at home October 29: Johnny soccer versus CFJ West at home Every Saturday morning throughout the year, St. Joan of Arc Men’s group meets from 7–8 a.m. in the St. Joan of Arc Parish Center. Have you ever, while driving down the road, noticed a tire shredded to the point of being barely recognizable? These scraps of rubber are the remnants of what’s known as a tire blowout, and the tire almost always comes from a large truck. When a tire rapidly loses air, it explodes, causing a blowout. Even though drivers are trained to recover from a blowout, blowouts are one of the leading causes of trucking accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that blowouts result in 11,000 crashes per year and more than 200 deaths. No amount of training can prepare a driver for the instability that results from a blowout, and even the most experienced drivers can lose control of a vehicle after one occurs. They are also unpredictable. If brakes freeze up, for example, a driver will have a period of time to react. Blowouts happen in an instant, and drivers must adapt on the fly. There are a number of different causes for blowouts. One common source is improper tire maintenance. Overinflation and underinflation lead to uneven wear on a tire, shortening their lifespan and leaving them susceptible to explosion. An
overloaded trailer creates a similar issue, forcing tires to do more work than they should. Roadway hazards are another danger to truck tires. Hitting a pothole or debris damages the integrity of a tire. Hit it with enough force,
and it can cause an instantaneous blowout. Even a small tire leak can lead to a dangerous situation because the slow release of air weakens the tire and alters its internal air pressure. Although not all tire blowouts can be avoided, regular tire maintenance can greatly reduce the risk of most blowouts. Checking on tire conditions is a required part of any pretrip inspection, and every driver and trucking company should be mindful of the danger of blowouts. If they are negligent in this maintenance, they are putting lives at risk. If you are injured in a trucking-related accident, whether caused by a blowout or another factor, please call the Shannon Law Group for a free consultation to discuss your legal rights.
Sausage and Barley Soup It’s a great time of year to warm up with a cup of soup, and this comforting, guilt-free dish comes together in a flash.
Directions 1. Heat a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage; cook 3 minutes or until browned. Remove from heat. 2. While sausage cooks, place stir-fry and 2 cups water in a blender; process until smooth. Ingredients • Cooking spray • 6 ounces turkey breakfast sausage • 21/2 cups frozen bell pepper stir-fry • 2 cups water
• 1 (141/2-ounce) can
Italian-style stewed tomatoes, undrained and chopped • 1/4 cup uncooked quick- cooking barley • 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh baby spinach
3. Add stir-fry puree,
tomatoes, and barley to sausage in pan. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat; cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in spinach; cook 1 minute or until spinach wilts.
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Recipe courtesy of CookingLight.com.
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