Simple Device Could Prevent Vehicle Crashes Caused by Loose Wheels

UNITED STATES – An online article published by wcnc.com discusses a simple safety device that could prevent vehicle crashes caused by loose wheels. The device, which is inexpensive and easy to use, is on few vehicles in the United States.*

On average, three vehicle crashes occur every day in the United States due to loose wheels. These accidents take place when a wheel has not been properly tightened and flies off while a vehicle is in motion. The crashes often injure the people inside the vehicle, as well as other motorists on the road. 

One example is a bus accident that occurred in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 2017. Twenty-six students from Garinger High School were in the process of boarding a Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools bus, when one of the bus’s tires came off. A crash resulted, and the school system said that a technician’s failure to tighten a lug nut led to the accident.

A simple device can prevent these kinds of accidents, according to WCNC. It is called a wheel check torque indicator, and it goes on every lug nut. The device has green arrows that, when aligned, show when all lug nuts are properly tightened. Technicians and drivers can see with just a glance whether a lug nut is loose. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools installed the devices on all buses following the 2017 crash. 

However, that school system is in the minority, as wheel check torque indicators are uncommon in the United States. They are more common in Canada. Safety experts say this inexpensive fix should be on more vehicles in the U.S., especially school buses, public transit vehicles, and commercial vehicles. 

Accident News is a driver safety and education initiative from Montlick & Associates, designed to help people better understand and thereby avoid common accident causes.  To learn more about our injury prevention programs, including iRideSafe.com, click here. We hope you are never in an accident, but if you or family member are injured, call Montlick & Associates 24/7 for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or use our live chat at Montlick.com.

Source:https://www.wcnc.com/article/news/crashes-caused-by-loose-wheels-preventable-but-inexpensive-safety-device-rarely-used/275-d4e42355-0863-49f7-a7b1-ad23b56aa0dc