18 December 2018 – Knowing the condition of your tyres is essential to staying safe on the road over Christmas, especially now that the festive season is fast approaching and millions of people will be planning their trips to visit family and friends for the holidays.
A recent study by Accident Advice Helpline showed that in 2017 people travel an average of 116 miles by car during the holiday season.
A further study by the Department of Transport highlighted that more drivers are killed or injured as a result of defective tyres compared to those using mobile phones.
Motokiki, the UK’s first truly independent tyre comparison site, is passionate about tyre health and as part of their work it became alarmingly clear that a large number of people admitted that they have never checked the health of their tyres, with more than half not knowing how to.
Checking these critical aspects will not only save you money but more importantly, could save your life.
Debra Williams, CEO at Motokiki.com, is here to let you know how to check the ‘health’ of your tyres including tread depth, air pressure and wheel alignment.
Where to start?
The first thing to consider when assessing the health of your tyres is the 20p tread depth check. The average tread depth of new tyres is approximately 8mm, however, this will reduce over time and is affected by the distance covered, hard breaking or rough road surfaces.
The minimum legal tread depth of a tyre is 1.6mm. This can be measured using the outer band of a 20p around the tyre. If at any point the outer band of the 20p is visible then your tyre tread depth is below the legal minimum.
The second check is whether your tyres are inflated to the correct pressure. Tyres that are not correctly inflated will result in the tread depth reducing faster, less precision in steering and an increase in braking distance.
Individual makes and models of cars will have different suggested air pressure. This information can be found on the car itself, in the car’s manual and also on the manufacturer’s website.
Not only can you save money by checking your tyre air pressure, but it could also prevent accidents and keep you safe.
The final way that you can make sure your tyres are in good shape is to make sure the alignment of your wheels is correct. Tyre misalignment happens due to a number of reasons including driving over potholes and clipping curbs which can result in your car’s handling being less responsive, decrease your tyre’s life span and negatively affect fuel efficiency. Therefore, if you notice a difference in your cars handling then it is recommended that you have the wheel alignment checked at a garage before it becomes a more costly problem.
All drivers are urged to check their tyres at least once a month or before any long journeys to ensure the safety of you and your passengers
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