We often don’t think about the dangers lurking on the highway until a stray tire smashes into a car like an anvil from a cartoon. Monday morning traffic brought one driver a terrible surprise when a wandering wheel struck his car.
The SUV’s roof was crumpled, leaving a huge gap. Although the driver remained unharmed, his vehicle is likely beyond repair. This is already the second such incident in the last two months.
According to the Georgia Department of Transportation, the incident occurred around 6 a.m. A detached wheel from the eastbound I-285 flew over the divider and crashed into the Mercedes. Cameras captured the damaged car in the left lane, causing traffic jams.
According to the report, the driver sustained minor cuts but refused hospitalization. Law enforcement did not find a vehicle with a missing wheel, so they assume it might have fallen off a trailer.
Experts estimated the weight of the disc with the tire at 150 pounds, which seems like an inflated figure. Judging by the size on the recording, the mass is likely significantly less, unless it’s a wheel from an airplane.
UPDATE: All travel lanes are open
— 511 GA – Georgia Department of Transportation Service (@511Georgia)
It is obvious that this Mercedes will not be back on the road anytime soon. Amazingly, the wheel did not touch the hood, but the scale of the roof destruction indicates inevitable scrapping. Who knows – maybe it will be restored by some famous blogger.
Unfortunately, such situations are not that rare. Last month in Connecticut, a stray tire destroyed another car. Then the impact hit the bumper directly, shattering the windshield and completely disabling the car. Fortunately, that driver was also unharmed.