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Wheels falling off trucks

On Behalf of | Mar 8, 2023 | Motor Vehicle Accidents

Driving in Massachusetts can be hazardous, especially highway driving. And one of the largest risk factors you may not know much about is tires and wheels falling off of 18-wheeler trucks.

Wheels falling off trucks lead to numerous devastating motor vehicle accidents each year and pose a serious hazard to drivers and nearby pedestrians.

The dangers of falling wheels

Wheels falling off trucks is incredibly dangerous because of mass and speed. A truck wheel is made of steel, and a truck wheel with the tire attached can clock in at well over 100 pounds. Anything that massive is going to cause significant damage in a collision.

Then you factor in that most 18-wheelers drive primarily on the highway, where speeds are usually well above 60 miles per hour. Any car accident or collision on the highway tends to have worse outcomes on average simply due to high speeds.

So, you combine how enormous truck wheels are with the tremendous speeds they operate at, and you’ve got a high-speed projectile striking with huge impact.

Truck wheels falling off can be caused by negligence

18-wheeler trucks are generally owned by large businesses or are contracted by them. This means that these companies are liable for the upkeep and safety of the trucks. A truck wheel falling off is frequently caused by negligence or shoddy maintenance. These accidents are often preventable.

In a serious accident involving a detached truck wheel, it’s always essential to have a professional mechanical inspection of the truck in question. This can often require multiple experts working in tandem to investigate various aspects of the truck’s condition to determine why the wheel fell off.

Truck wheels falling off represents a relatively little-known but extremely serious road hazard. And a detached truck wheel causing an accident is frequently the result of negligence by the truck operator and/or the trucking company involved.