Safety While Using a Jack

2.8 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Rating 2.80 (5 Votes)

Safety is important at work, at home and on the road. It is truly a mindset to look at every situation and ensure you are knowledgeable about the actions required and have analyzed the hazards associated with those actions.

This recent store from Cincinnati brings home that deadly incidents can occur anywhere and at anytime.

WCPO – www.wcpo.com - 8/16/2016

CINCINNATI -- Police called to investigate a dead body discovered in College Hill Tuesday night found a man apparently crushed to death while changing a tire on his car.

Police said the victim, a man in his 30's, pulled off on Center Hill Avenue with a flat tire and attempted to change it. At some point in the process, the car slipped off its jack and fell on the driver, killing him.

Police believe the incident took place around 5 p.m., but investigators did not discover the scene until hours later.

This tragic incident brings to light the danger in doing things that we don't necessarily do on a regular basis. This is one of the main reasons to have the automobile's owner's manual in the glove compartment of the vehicle to utilize for reference for such emergency actions.

Let’s review these tips for changing tires:

  • Use the jack only to get a vehicle off the ground, never to hold a vehicle in place.
  • Always ensure the jack is placed in the designated lift area of the car. See your owner’s manual for that location.
  • Never jack up a vehicle without blocking the wheels to keep it from rolling. Use bricks, wooden wedges, or metal wheel chocks to block the wheels at the end of the car that isn't being raised.
  • Never change a tire on a freeway or highway. Call road service or an automobile association or hang a white rag or a white piece of paper out of the driver’s side window and wait for the highway patrol.
  • Always park a vehicle on level ground before you jack it up. If you get a flat tire on a hill and can’t coast to the bottom without killing the tire completely, park close to the curb, turn the wheels toward the curb, and block the downside wheels securely to prevent the car from rolling.
  • Put the car in Park (or in First if you have a manual transmission) and engage the parking brake before you jack up the vehicle.

Share these tips with your children, grandchildren or any student driver you may know to ensure they know what to do in case of an emergency and how to find, locate and use the automobile's manual to do it safely.


This toolbox topic was reviewed by ______________________________________ on ___________________________ with the following employees: