One news reports that a wheel came off a truck and struck a bus going the other direction. The wheel struck the bus window and the bus driver was listed in critical condition.
The highway remained closed while police investigated the truck/bus accident. Wheels from 18-wheelers are especially dangerous do to their size and weight and can weight up to more than 400 pounds, which at highway speeds can be a deadly missile.
Under the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (Texas has adopted the FMCSR) truckers are required to do pre-trip inspections to avoid equipment problems that may lead to a truck accident. Wheels and rims are part of the required inspection prior to each trip. Additionally Section 396.3(a)(1) of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulation expressly provides that "axels and attaching parts, wheels and rims" shall be in safe and proper operating condition at all times. I have investigated many truck accidents in Houston and throughout where poor equipment has lead to disastrous results. Many instances of truck driver negligence can be avoided by implementing policy to insure that both the truck company and their driver adhere to the Motor Carrier Safety Regulations. Some times simply checking the lug nuts can avoid a wheel coming off. In instances after a wreck several times the post accident inspection of the rig in the accident reveled missing lug nuts and other unsafe conditions.
