Wheel Separation

The next accident was caused by incorrectly torqued lug nuts. A car was headed south on an interstate soon after the left front wheel had been replaced at a shop. The car started to shake and then suddenly the left front wheel separated from the vehicle. The wheel traveled across the southbound lanes, over the dividing wall and into northbound traffic. The wheel impacted a vehicle and caused severe injuries to the driver.

Many people replace wheels and don't torque (tighten) them properly. This is very important with all wheels, but more so with alloy rims that are common on vehicles these days. Incorrectly torqued lug nuts can also warp brake disks, resulting in brake problems.