SIMPLE TAGS WARN OF TRUCK WHEEL SEPARATIONS
PRODUCT LAUNCHED IN MISSISSAUGA

A simple, inexpensive way for truckers to tell if a wheel is coming loose was unveiled at a press conference held in Mississauga Tuesday.

Wheel-Check is a fluorescent, green plastic tag that fits over each wheel nut of a standard tractor truck. If a nut becomes loose, the pointer-shaped tag points outward from the wheel hub. This alerts the driver at a glance to the potential of a wheel separating.

In addition to the Wheel-Check tag, there is also a red Wheel-Torque tag a driver can slip over the loose nut so it is readily visible to a truck repair technician.

"We are delighted to bring this safety device to Canada," said Vice President of Public Relations for Wheel-Check speaking at the press conference held at Penske Trucking, 1610 Enterprise Rd.

"This product is helpful to commercial vehicle operators in identifying unsafe wheel. With Wheel-Check, operators can be seen to be safe.

"The average truck wheel weighs about 200 kg and there have been an estimated 150 wheel separations in Ontario since 1995. Five people have been killed in the GTA during the past five years.

Gord Dennis, manager of distribution for Molson Breweries, said his Ontario truck fleet is among the first to fit the devices.

"We continually seek ways to make our vehicles more safe," he said. "Wheel-Check will help facilitate maintenance or our fleet and our commitment to road safety.

"The tags cost about $1 (CDN) each and there are 160 nuts on the average tractor trailer. Wheel-Check said $160 outlay is far less to paying than the new automatic, no-excuses Ontario fine of $50,000 for truck operators who have a wheel separation.