Were Outdated Tires the Real Cause Behind Walker’s Deadly Crash?
It’s been nearly three years since Roger Rodas and Paul Walker passed away in a horrible and violent fashion onboard a red Porsche Carrera GT, and although many people have blamed reckless driving as cause for the deadly accident, there are other theories that may suggest otherwise.
To be clear, it’s been more than confirmed that Rodas was driving well over the speed limit, and in a manner that wasn’t appropriate given the type of public road the accident happened in, but the question of, how this could happen to such a talented and gifted driver? Still remains unanswered.
Matt Farah from, The Drive, recently shared his feelings regarding the Carrera GT’s tire condition, and how it could’ve played a deciding factor in the drivers’ deaths. Farah goes on to share a personal story about track day event he once entered in a Corvette, where he managed to spin out of control several times due to old tires. Keyword old, and not worn out—there’s a difference. See, just because tires have only been used for a few thousand miles or so, it doesn’t mean they’re in good shape.
In case you didn’t know, tires have an expiration date, sort of. Manufacturers stamp the date of production on the sidewall, and there’s an industry-wide rule that tires five years or older shouldn’t be mounted, much less considered safe. This is something I’m familiar with, as I once purchased a set of Michelin Blizzak tires with only 7,000 miles on them from Craigslist, only to have multiple tire shops refuse to install them as they were 6 years old. It’s important to understand that rubber hardens, looses flexibility and adhesion as time goes by, even with optimal tread-depth.
I personally had the chance to see the Rodas’s red Porsche Carrera GT when it belonged to Graham Rahal, and although I can’t speak for the condition of the tires, I can expect a vehicle with only 3,500 miles to sport the same tires it did when it rolled off the factory. Specially knowing how good Graham takes care of his cars. If tire condition theory were to be true, the tires on the Porsche would’ve been almost seven years old at the time of the crash, and therefore extremely unsafe.
Ultimately, we will never know if there’s only one major component to blame for Paul Walker’s death, and it very well might be as simple as reckless driving, but ignoring tire condition could prove to be somewhat ignorant. After all, it all comes down to grip, right?
Chime in with your thoughts on the forum. >>
Photos via: [TMZ]