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General Knowledge · Fires

During a trip, what should a driver do to help prevent a wheel or tire fire?

1.Check wheels and tires for signs of overheating at stops along the way, since a dragging brake or badly underinflated tire can build up enough heat to igniteCorrect answer
2.Check wheels and tires only once, at the very start of the trip, since heat does not build up once the vehicle is rolling steadily at a constant highway speed
3.Assume a wheel is fine unless it is already visibly smoking or giving off a strong smell of burning rubber at a stop along the way
4.Only worry about wheel heat in cold weather, when the temperature difference between the brake and the outside air is at its greatest

Explanation

A driver should check wheels and tires for signs of overheating at stops throughout a trip, not just at the start, since a dragging brake or a badly underinflated tire can build up enough heat to ignite before any smoke becomes visible. 49 CFR 383.111(a)(3)(i) names fire extinguishers and diagnosing malfunctions as required knowledge, which assumes a driver can recognize this kind of developing hazard, though the specific checking practice is standard driver-training content, attributed to the manual. The wrong options each create a false sense of safety: a single check at the start of the trip misses heat that builds up over hours of driving, waiting for visible smoke waits too long, and tire and wheel heat buildup is not limited to cold weather.

Source: 49 CFR 383.111(a)(3)(i)

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