Woman explains the importance of tightening wheel nuts to prevent tire dislodgement in vehicles
A TikTok user has shared a harrowing video to raise awareness about the importance of properly tightening wheel nuts to prevent accidents, particularly at high speeds. The user, who has been driving for over a decade, was involved in a near-fatal accident five years ago when a loose wheel nut punctured her windshield and flew into her face.
The user emphasizes that incorrect torque can lead to wheel loosening or separation, resulting in potentially catastrophic failures while driving. Properly tightening wheel nuts to manufacturer-specified torque values with a calibrated torque wrench maintains the correct clamping force needed to keep the wheel securely fastened.
Key points emphasizing this importance include:
- Correct torque application prevents wheels from loosening during driving, which could cause wheels to detach from the vehicle, leading to severe accidents.
- Over-tightening can stretch or crack wheel studs, weakening them and increasing the risk of studs snapping, which might also cause wheel separation at high speeds.
- Under-tightening results in insufficient clamping force, making it easier for the wheel to wobble or come off, especially under the stresses of high-speed travel or heavy loads.
- Proper procedures also involve cleaning and lubricating studs and nuts to ensure reliable torque application and clamping.
- Reusing degraded or worn flange nuts can reduce torque effectiveness by up to 50%, significantly elevating the risk of wheel separation.
The user recommends tightening nuts every time a tire is removed from the vehicle and after 50-100 kilometers of driving. The video has been viewed over 728,000 times, indicating a growing concern about road safety.
The user's accident occurred when a wheel nut came off a car on the opposite side of the road while she was driving at approximately 100 kilometers per hour. After the impact, she continued driving for about 30 seconds, but she does not remember this. As a result of the accident, the user underwent over 30 surgeries and recovered for three years.
The user's 12-year-old son was in the passenger seat at the time of the accident. This incident highlights the importance of not only proper wheel nut tightening but also the safety of children in vehicles.
In a separate project, a special project titled "universe of Chinese cars" provides information about brands, models, and manufacturers of Chinese cars, which have become prevalent on the roads of Kazakhstan. The project is designed to help users understand Chinese car brands better.
The website associated with the project has an automatic geolocation feature for comment authors, allowing for a more personalized and localized user experience. The user agreement includes a password requirement of at least 6 characters and a requirement for users to enter their email for access. Passwords for the website must be at least 6 characters long to ensure a certain level of security.
- The user's incident underscores the significance of practicing health-and-wellness in transportation, not just adhering to science-based wheel nut tightening protocols, but also ensuring the safety of passengers, especially children.
- The user's passion for road safety extends beyond wheel nuts, which is evident in their advocacy for the "universe of Chinese cars" project, a platform dedicated to educating users about Chinese car brands and promoting safety in car selection and use.
