Free wheel-end safety video for truck fleets now available from TIA and Michelin

A free downloadable training video for truck fleets produced by the Tire Industry Association (TIA) and Michelin Americas Truck Tires provides drivers and maintenance personnel installation and inspection guidelines for improving wheel-end performance and safety along with avoiding wheel-off accidents and fires.

Entitled “Wheel End Safety,” the 20-minute presentation also covers several related topics.

“Our hope is that fleets will use this video to educate drivers, maintenance personnel and tire service providers on the steps they can take to make the highways safer for themselves and all motorists,” says Roy Littlefield, TIA executive vice president.

“In addition to wheel-off and wheel-end fire prevention, ‘Wheel End Safety’ also addresses the dangers of welding on rims and includes dramatic footage that clearly demonstrates the risks to this dangerous practice,” he reports.

In order to illustrate the danger of a wheel-off incident, the TIA worked with Michelin engineers to construct a controlled test at the company’s Laurens Proving Grounds in South Carolina, where the tire and wheel assemblies could be filmed after they separated from a trailer. After several successful attempts, a parked car was placed in the path so multiple cameras could record the footage. “The resulting impact is certain to grab the attention of viewers and demonstrate the seriousness of wheel-off accidents,” notes Doug Jones, customer engineering support manager at Michelin North America.

“This video dramatically demonstrates the importance of operating trucks and other commercial vehicles as safely as possible,” Jones points out. “By taking a few extra minutes to shore up wheel-end maintenance, fleet technicians can help minimize the number of dangerous wheel-off events.”

“As part of our ongoing efforts to educate the tire and transportation industries, TIA is proud to partner with Michelin on this important fleet safety video,” says Littlefield.