A 23-Year-Old Woman Was Hit By A Loose Trailer Wheel On Hwy 401 & Charges Have Been Laid

Driving on Highway 401 is scary enough without the looming threat of flying wheels.

A 23-year-old Ottawa woman was sent to the hospital on Sunday after her vehicle was struck by a loose wheel while driving down the 401.

Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) reported that on December 4 at around 10:30 a.m., officers from Greenville OPP were called to a vehicle collision along with other emergency services on Highway 401 westbound, east of Maitland.

Police said that a tractor-trailer headed eastbound had its tire come off, fly over the median and into the way of a car travelling westbound.

OPP posted a photo of the vehicle, and the damage left in the wake of the tire was not pretty.

In the photo posted on December 4, the white four-door vehicle appears to be missing one of its doors and sustained some pretty serious dents on the driver-side.

Police said the woman was taken to a hospital by paramedics and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

The westbound lane on Highway 401 was briefly closed following the incident.

Greenville OPP told Narcity the driver of the tractor-trailer has been charged with "failure to do inspection and drive unsafe motor vehicle."

Police said the investigation remains ongoing. OPP warned commercial drivers in a tweet to remember their pre-trip inspection.

Greenville OPP also reminded drivers to call 911 or 1-888-310-1122 or Crime stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 if they see a driver they believe is impaired because it could "save a life."

Last month, another wheel came off of a vehicle on Highway 401, and OPP said the driver who had been hit by the wheel was "lucky to be alive."

So you may want to double-check that pre-trip inspection before you head out.