For a vehicle to be safe, all of its components need to be in working order. Some aspects of the car, such as the radio, will not impact safety if they malfunction.
The wheels, on the other hand, are a different matter. The wheels of a vehicle must be securely attached and they are fixed onto the car by wheel nuts. Why is it so dangerous for a car to be on the road with loose or missing wheel nuts?
The balance of the vehicle
Missing or loose wheel nuts can cause all kinds of problems, and making the vehicle unstable is one of them. A loose wheel nut can cause the tire to vibrate and the entire vehicle to wobble, especially at higher speeds. In these circumstances, a driver may struggle to retain control of the vehicle, making a crash very likely.
Wheels can detach
If a wheel nut is loose then it can break altogether. This means that the wheel is no longer securely attached to the vehicle. The same can be said if a nut is missing altogether. Wheel nuts are only designed to take so much pressure, and this pressure has to be distributed evenly. Inadequate fastenings can result in the wheel becoming completely detached from the vehicle while in motion. Not only does this place the driver at risk, but also everyone in the vicinity. A loose wheel at high speeds essentially becomes a missile, and it will cause devastating damage to anything in its path.
Vehicle maintenance is essential to road safety. If you’ve been injured by someone who was driving a car in a state of disrepair, then you could be entitled to legal compensation. Reaching out to someone with knowledge of personal injury law will help you secure justice in your case.