It's that time of year!
Orillia OPP officers charged a female driver with operating an unsafe vehicle after the wheel on her car came flying off on Highway 11 in Oro-Medonte.
Yesterday, shortly after 5 p.m., police were sent to investigate a traffic hazard on Highway 11.
It was reported that a wheel had come off of a vehicle travelling northbound, striking a vehicle travelling southbound.
The investigation revealed that the female driver of the northbound vehicle recently had her winter tires changed. Fortunately, there were no injuries from this incident.
OPP are reminding drivers to ensure their vehicle is safe for the road. At this time of year drivers are switching out their winter tires to all-season or summer tires and it is important to ensure the wheels are torqued to the correct specifications and checked on a regular basis.
When temperatures begin to hover around seven degrees Celsius, it's a good time to consider making the switch. Summer tires begin to lose some of their grip as the temperature drops below this point, while winter tires begin to wear out and offer less response as the thermometer rises above seven degrees.
The CAA recommends waiting until the thermometer reaches 7 C on a regular basis before switching tires.
If lug nuts are improperly tightened, they can cause serious problems, including distorting the stud, damaging brakes, and losing a wheel.
One Canadian report showed that 83 per cent of incidents of flying tires involved repairs or maintenance had been performed on wheels just a short time prior to the event.
Read why wheels come loose here.
