One wheel had lost its metal rim shortly after midnight, and the other three were threatening to fall off.
In such a situation, the wheels can lose contact with the road completely.
The left rear wheel lost pavement and the van tumbled into the hole.
Students drive around on wet pavement to cause the back wheels to lose traction and send the vehicle into a slide.
And that's where it stayed as the wheel lost its momentum.
Sand was another prospect he did not relish; his wheels would lose traction in it.
This is due to the fact that an ideal rolling (but not slipping) wheel loses no energy.
The heavy engines raced, the wheels losing grip on frost-patches.
On the distant road the trucks went up in flames, wheels screeching as the drivers lost control.
"That's more than half our horse and wheel lost," he said, his voice trembling with rage.