What's the deal with spikes covering lug nuts on big rigs?

I’ve noticed big rigs often have spikes protruding from their lug nuts in a spinning carousel of tire-shreding doom. Is this just an aesthetic thing—trying to look edgy and cool? Or is there some utilitarian purpose to those things?

Also, how is that legal? One would think making your vehicle extra-dangerous to the other vehicles on the road would create legal liabilities at the minimum, let alone breach safety laws.