The Land Transport Safety Authority is warning truck drivers and operators who have recently had wheels fitted to their vehicles to check that wheel nuts have been re-tightened according to requirements.

The warning follows a crash just outside Christchurch on Wednesday. The non-injury crash involved a truck losing a wheel that then rolled across four lanes on the motorway near Kaiapoi. It is the latest in a series of crashes where trucks have lost wheels.

The cause of the wheel losses have been attributed to a lack of re-tightening following a servicing or replacement. The ISO wheels, which are a standard fitting to many heavy motor vehicles, need re-tightening within 100kms of being fitted. While no one was injured in the latest crash, Land Transport Safety Director David Wright said the outcome could have been disastrous.

“I urge all truck operators who use these kinds of wheels and nuts to tighten them according to the manufacturer’s specifications. These types of incidents shouldn’t be happening,’’ Mr Wright said.

“Most tyre servicing agents issue a clear warning to drivers and operators that the wheel nuts must be re-tightened at the completion of 100km. Ultimately it is the driver’s responsibility to have the wheel nuts re-tightened at the right time,’’ Mr Wright said.