Semi Trucks Present Risk of Tires Separating from Their Vehicles
Tractor trailers, or semi trucks as they are often called, are massive vehicles that present unique dangers when involved in an accident, but as this article and several others illustrate, there is also the danger of their tires separating from their vehicles potentially causing severe damage and injuries. In this case, a couple was in their home next to a road heavily trafficked with tractor trailers when two tires from the semi truck flew off of the vehicle and crashed through the wall to their house and into their bedroom. In another incident late last year, a police officer was killed when two rear wheels from a tractor trailer separated from the vehicle and struck him as he stood beside the road. You can also see video of a tire after it has been separated from a tractor trailer here.
When a tire comes off of a tractor trailer, the potential for injuries is great and the reaction time for other drivers on the road will likely be minimal. These wheels typically weigh a few hundred pounds and can be traveling at very high speeds as they separate from a tractor trailer on the road. It is estimated that incidents of wheels coming off of tractor trailers on the roads occur approximately 1,000 times per year across the United States. While this risk is not the cause of a significant percentage of the accidents on the roadways, it is certainly something to be concerned about and watch for, if possible, as the results can be extremely serious.
