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A number of cars have suffered tyre punctures after a spike strip slipped off from the roof of a police car.
According to Stuff.co.nz, an officer placed a spike strip on the roof of a police car in Papakura, South Auckland. Another officer, who was not aware of the spikes on the roof, then drove away. The spikes fell onto the road, across a lane on Railway St.
A number of motorists ran over the spikes, causing some of their tyres to deflate.
“We are aware that a small number of motor vehicles have inadvertently run over the spikes, causing some of their tyres to deflate,” Inspector Tony Wakelin told Stuff.co.nz.
Teresa Stevens, one of the affected motorists, had been driving through Papakura around 10 am on Thursday when she saw the spike strip on the road but no police cars in sight. She picked up the spikes and surrendered it to the Papakura police station.
"I saw multiple cars going past and slowing down rather fast, one more car went past and I saw something flick up. I went to look and noticed it was a speed spike strip. I handed it over to an officer and he was stunned as to how I got it. I told him I picked it up, when I went to turn around, there were many people behind me that had run it over and ended up with flat tyres,” Stevens told Stuff.co.nz.
Affected motorists should check if their insurance would be able to cover sudden, accidental tyre damage.
According to an opinion piece at Stuff.co.nz, some policies would repair and replace the tyres in the first 12 months after being bought, in the case that something terrible happened to them during ordinary use.
However, some policies will not cover damage caused when the car was operating in insufficient tyre pressure or was off the road. Others will also not allow claims in the event of a crash with another vehicle, a fire, or incorrect wheel alignment.
