The Human Toll:
41 DEATHS IN FLORIDA*

A St. Petersburg Times analysis shows that at least 41 people have been killed in Florida since 1997 in accidents involving sport utility vehicles equipped with Firestone tires. The accidents had uncanny similarities: A rear tire fell apart, causing the vehicle
to roll, frequently several times. Most crashes occurred on highways on warm, sunny days.


To use zoom or print option, PC users right click. Macintosh users control+click
You will need the free Flash player to view this interactive graphic.

Research and graphic by Anita Kumar, Kitty Bennett and
JEFF GOERTZEN of the Times

Multimedia production: Desiree Perry, Online Designer

Sources: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, lawsuits and other court documents, newspaper reports, interviews with attorneys, victims and consumer groups. Map reproduced with permission by ©AAA

*Four of the 41 victims are not accounted for on this map because details of their accidents were not available. Unless otherwise noted, all accidents involved Ford Explorers. Twenty-two accidents involved tires later recalled by Firestone. Nine accidents involved tires that have not been recalled. It is unknown if the tires involved in the five remaining accidents were recalled. In most cases, victims’ families sued both Ford and Firestone, as indicated on the map.