Trucker Caught Free Wheeling Over 60 Miles Without A Tire

Ask most truckers about their must-haves in a good semi-truck, and you might get answers like quality seats, a reliable power supply, and practical storage space. Having tires on the wheels might seem like too obvious an answer, although it seems one trucker in Canada didn’t have “make sure all the tires are still there” on their checklist. The Ontario Provincial Police recently issued a warning on social media to remind drivers that they should always check their tires before traveling after pulling over a truck on Highway 17. According to the post, the truck had driven more than 60 miles with one tire missing.

The driver of the vehicle is now facing multiple charges of unsafe operation of a vehicle as a result. According to CTV News, the unnamed 41-year-old driver was from Calgary, while the tractor and trailer were operated by a company in Steinbach. The company was also hit with charges due to the vehicle’s unsafe condition. Police took the vehicle off the road after the stop, with repairs required before it could resume service.

Road rules can vary between the U.S. and Canada, and there are plenty of common U.S. driving habits that can get you a ticket north of the border. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, U.S. truckers are allowed to remove one defective tire from a set of dual tires as long as the weight on the remaining tires does not exceed the legal limit.

However, that is assuming they have four tires on an axle to begin with. Images provided by the Ontario Provincial Police show the stopped truck did not have dual tires, leaving one rim in contact with the road. As such, it would have quickly attracted the attention of local law enforcement on either side of the border.

Even drivers who meticulously keep track of the condition of their tires will eventually have to replace them, and changing a truck tire is harder than you’d think. Attempting to change a semi-truck tire without knowing what you’re doing can result in injury, and so it’s best left to the professionals.