Eric G. Jones tragically killed in Virginia accident involving a tire blowout

ALEXANDRIA, Mich. — Eric G. Jones, a 46-year-old Alexandria resident, died Nov. 28 in a car accident on Shirley Highway in Alexandria.

The accident happened at about 4:30 p.m. in the northbound lanes of Sherly Hwy at the Duke Street exit, according to a news report. Authorities said the driver’s left front tire blew out, causing the car to run off the right side of the roadway and strike an overpass support.

Jones was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident.

Police said the tire that blew out was a spare, though did not immediately specify how long the tire had been used and the reason it was installed.

An investigation into the accident is underway and no additional information has been released.

Commentary on the tragic accident that took life of Eric G. Jones

I am deeply saddened to learn of the untimely death of Mr. Eric Jones as a result of a tire blow out. It seems that Mr. Jones lost control of his vehicle when the spare tire he was using blew out.

I have been researching tire blow out accidents for three decades and I am continually amazed at how many accidents still happen as a result of blow outs when so many engineering and material improvements have been made over the years, such as incorporation of a nylon cap ply and tire pressure monitoring systems.

With proper tire maintenance, inflation, rotation, and balancing, most tire blow out accidents are preventable. Traveling on a spare tire is recommended only for short distances and for a minimal amount of time. Authorities in this situation, according to the news report, do not know how long the victim had been driving on the spare. The tire involved in this accident must be preserved for a thorough examination to be completed.

As a concerned citizen and legal professional, I will do all that I can to raise awareness of the risks associated with tire failure. I hope that at some point crashes caused by tire failure are a thing of the past.

My condolences go out to Mr. Jones' family and friends in their time of immense loss.

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