As global leaders in wheel safety, we understand the importance of road safety. With the Brake charity holding their Road Safety Week from November 18th, we wanted to highlight the number of accidents occurring each year as a result of wheel defects, the impact they have, and how they can be prevented.
Following a study by the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) in 2006, it was estimated that up to 11,000 road incidents involving wheel defects occur each year. The results of which include 400 wheel detachments, 7 fatalities and 27 injuries. But with only 68% of drivers operating daily safety checks, and 5% admitting to never checking their wheel safety, there is some clear room for improvement.
Whilst drivers in the transport industry are required by law to check and maintain their commercial vehicles, human error can become an issue. Therefore, it’s important to know what to look for and how to spot the signs of a wheel in distress:
- Worn area around the stud hole caused by friction
- Cracks radiating from the stud hole
- Stud hole elongation
- Corrosion
- Damage to thread
- Excessive wear
To make checking wheels easier, a more practical and efficient solution is called for. In fact, this played a role in the origins of Checkpoint when, over 30 years ago, our CEO Mike Marczynski had an issue concerning loose wheel nuts on one of his vehicles. In failing to find an existing solution, Mike invented the world’s first loose nut indicator: the Checkpoint Original.
Today, with a dedicated team of innovators and over 30 years of industry excellence behind us, we strive to educate fleet operators and drivers alike on the best practice to wheel safety. In fact, 2019 saw the release of our exhibition-favourite ‘Best Practice Guide to Wheel Safety’ both online and in a range of languages.
For Road Safety Week, we encourage you to take your time to ensure your vehicles are operating safely. Need help finding appropriate solutions for your vehicle or fleet? We provide intelligent safety solutions to all manner of wheels across a variety of sectors and businesses. View our products page today.