OPP stress tire safety after deadly Hwy 401 crash

A stock image of a tire being torqued. (Pexels/Ron Lach)

OPP are asking drivers to make sure their tires are fastened properly, after a fatal crash on Hwy 401 earlier this week.

On Wednesday, a 39-year-old woman from Toronto was killed after a wheel flew off a van travelling westbound, leaped over the highway barrier, and struck her SUV moving in the eastbound lane. OPP say the SUV then made contact with a transport truck.

Police have yet to determine how the tire came loose, but are urging drivers to make sure the same thing doesn’t happen to them.

“Every year we do have incidents where wheels do become separated from vehicles,” OPP Highway Safety Division Sgt. Ted Dongelmans told CTV News.

Ontario Provincial Police investigators are seen at the location of a fatal crash on the 401 near Cambridge on Oct. 30, 2024. (Dan Lauckner/CTV News)

Swapping tires

Fowler Tire and Auto says it’s approaching the busy tire season, as drivers begin swapping their summer tires for a set of winters.

Owner, Chris Tsegas, says his shop changes tires for up to 50 vehicles per day. Each set is torqued twice, with a final inspection before giving the car back to the customer.

Tsegas says each customer is asked to bring their vehicle back to the shop after around 100 km to have their tires retorqued for free, but less than a quarter actually do.

“Probably about 20 per cent,” Tsegas said. “Everybody’s busy, right?”

OPP say drivers are responsible for torquing their tires property and skipping this step could put them at fault after a crash.

“Everybody does have liability in terms of insuring that the vehicles that they’re driving is safe,” Sgt. Dongelmans said. “If you are negligent in ensuring that the vehicle that you are driving is safe, then there are potentially charges laid in those cases.”

Police say mechanics and auto shops can also be liable if they fail to property install and torque their clients’ tires.

Tsegas says customers are verbally asked to return for tires to be retorqued, with a reminder included on the invoice.