Runaway Tire Crash Almost Turns Fatal

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It might seem silly until you see their sheer destructive force, but runaway vehicle tires are downright deadly. Thankfully one that came off a vehicle traveling southbound on US 19 in Florida, bouncing over the median and slamming into a northbound car hit just right so nobody was seriously injured or worse.

See what was left of a Z06 Corvette after another horror crash.

Clearwater Police Department showed off the images of the wrecked car, which not only had its windshield completely broken through but the roof crushed and some interior damage. The woman in the driver’s seat escaped the worst of it, although had she been going a different speed the tire might have impacted on the driver’s side instead and this could’ve been a fatal accident.

Her young daughter was sitting in the backseat, another fortunate thing, considering. Someone sitting in the front passenger seat no doubt would’ve suffered serious head injuries and probably more.

This freak accident is an excellent reminder to ensure you’re torquing lug nuts to spec, not just kinda twisting them on and calling it good. We don’t know if that’s why this wheel came off the other vehicle, but it’s possible and we’ve seen that happen before.

If you have a spare tire mounted to the exterior of your vehicle, it’s a good idea to periodically check that it’s secured properly. This includes a trailer with a spare, as we’ve personally seen tires go flying off trailers and cause tremendous damage to a vehicle following behind.

While we’re on the topic, other objects can also become deadly if they fly out of a pickup bed, trailer, or even an SUV’s open hatch. Using proper straps to tie everything down securely before you hit the road could possibly save a life.

Images via Clearwater Police Department

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