The L.A. County Sheriff’s Department has revealed that the accident that killed Paul Walker and Roger Rodas was caused by “unsafe speed for the roadway conditions.”
Data retrieved from the vehicle by Porsche, along with analysis of CCTV footage, led investigators to the conclusion that Rodas was driving between 80mph and 93mph when he lost control.
Speculation at the time of the accident suggested a mechanical malfunction caused the GT to crash, but investigators have ruled that out. During consultation with Michelin, the tyre’s manufacturer, it was found that the car’s tyres were nine years old.
That would suggest that the Carrera’s tyres had never been changed since the car left the showroom. Although Rodas probably didn’t wear them out through driving miles, natural degradation through exposure to the elements over that time period could have affected the tyre’s structure. The loads it is exposed to while cornering at 93mph mean that a weak tyre potentially contributed to a loss of control.
Analysis of the CCTV footage also confirmed that the pair were not racing another vehicle at the time of the crash.
Paul Walker and Roger Rodas died on November 30th 2013, when the Porsche Carrera GT they were travelling in lost control and collided with a lamp post and a tree. Walker was filming Fast And Furious 7 at the time of the accident, and it was recently revealed that the rest of his scenes will be filmed using CGI and body doubles.
CarThrottle
