Taking care of your tyres is not just a massive safety issue but an issue of economics also. Do you realize that if your tyres are below the minimum tread depth in Ireland of 1.6mm that the braking efficiency of your vehicle is significantly reduced?
Good tyre maintenance
Good tyre maintenance has a number of benefits for your safe and cost efficient motoring:
- Your fuel consumption will be optimized and your car’s co2 emissions will be significantly reduced;
- Maintaining your tyres with regular checks and inflation will see the longevity of your tyres greatly enhanced;
- Your safety and the safety of your family and other road users will be greatly improved;
- You will enjoy better and smoother car handling.
It goes without saying that as your vehicle’s tyres are your only contact with the road the correct pressure and at least the minimum tread depth are essentials.
Trying to stop your car in an emergency will be difficult with poor or unsafe tyres and it is estimated that your required breaking distance is doubled with tyres which do not have the 1.66 mm tread depth.
Some estimates put the figure of vehicles in Ireland which fail to achieve this minimum tread depth at roughly 12-15% which is a scary thought.
Keeping an eye on your tyre pressures and insisting that your tyres are well examined when you are having your vehicle serviced are sensible precautions and strongly recommended.
Other things to look for when checking your tyres include
- Cuts in the fabric of the tyre
- Cracks in the tyre
- Bulges
- Crazing or cracking the tyre sidewall.
Underinflation of your tyres can lead to breakdown in the casings of your tyres..as will overloading or driving on virtually a flat tyre. Other common causes of breakdown include
- Hitting kerbs regularly
- Driving into potholes.
Other issues that you might also consider when it comes to choosing tyres is the weather-winter weather driving differs significantly from summer or dry weather driving with differences in the handling characteristics and steering response of your car.
Tyre pressure
You should always check your car tyre’s pressure when they are cold as they will inflate as they heat up with driving and friction with the surface of the road. Underinflating your tyres by 20% the life your tyre can be reduced by up to 30% so the correct pressure is critical and will also depend on the load on your vehicle.
Low tyre pressure also leads to a build up of heat when driving and increases the chances of tyre failure.
Tyre safety summary
Looking after your car tyres makes a lot of sense from both a safety and monetary perspective and really does not require much effort on your part if you make a conscious decision to check your tyres regularly as a matter of habit.
These tips are brought to you by Dublin tyres.
