Loose wheels make noise!
When the bolts are loosened or taken off a tire, and you try to drive the car anyway, that particular tire makes a lot of noise before jumping off. It takes several miles and even more minutes to actually be loose of the axle. This is why it is so often detected before an accident happens.
In the cases where it happens, I guess the driver can't hear it, possible due to other noises, loud music in the car etc. But this wasn't the case for Gavin, so he should have heard it.