As leaves change colour and autumn descends, October brings a crucial reminder to motorists across the globe: the significance of tyre safety. Tyre Safety Month underscores the importance of regular tyre checks, maintenance and the understanding of their role in vehicle performance and safety.
This article will explore the significance of Tyre Safety Month, emphasising the critical nature of regular maintenance as well as equip you with practical tips to keep your wheels in top-notch condition, ultimately paving the way for safer roads for everyone.
Tyre Safety Month
This campaign is dedicated to raising awareness about the vital role that tyres play in road safety. October serves as a timely reminder for motorists to inspect and maintain their tyres. The slogan: ‘If your tyres don’t stop you, what will?‘ acts as a crucial nude to encourage car owners to be vigilant and conscious of their tyres, for they are the difference between a safe break or turn as opposed to a potential accident or mishap.
Importance of Maintaining Your Tyres
According to Tyre Safe, there are 37,500,000 cars and vans on British roads. Out of that total, Tyre Safe has predicted this year that 1 in 4 could be riding along with illegal tyres. On average, defective tyres are responsible for 1,075 casualties annually. Maintaining your tyres is paramount for the longevity and efficiency of the tyres themselves and the safety of the vehicle’s occupants and other road users.
Well-maintained tyres ensure that vehicles have optimum grip on the road, which is especially crucial during adverse weather conditions like rain or snow. Tyres that are worn down, improperly inflated or damaged can significantly increase the risk of accidents due to skidding, blowouts or loss of control.
In addition, proper tyre maintenance also directly impacts the vehicle’s fuel efficiency. Under-inflated tyres, for instance, can cause an increase in fuel consumption as they create more rolling resistance, meaning the engine must work harder, and you have to spend more on petrol or diesel.
Proper tyre maintenance ensures optimal vehicle performance and significantly reduces the risk of road accidents – checking the tyre pressure, assessing the tread depth or ensuring the tyres are damage-free.
Safety Checks You Can Perform Yourself
It’s important to keep in mind that tyres are the only point of contact between your vehicle and the road. Take a cue from a driving instructor and ensure your tyres are roadworthy before embarking on any journey. Under their guidance, one learns the importance of performing some essential tyre safety checks:
Visual Inspection
Start by examining each tyre for signs of damage such as cuts, cracks, bulges, punctures or foreign objects embedded in the tread. Also, check that all valve caps are present and secure and that no air is leaking out.
Tyre Pressure
Using a tyre pressure gauge, check the air pressure in each tyre, including the spare. Inside the vehicle’s manual booklet will be a chart to help you match your vehicle manufacturer’s recommended levels.
Tread Depth
Using a tread depth gauge or a twenty-pence test, ensure the tread depth is above the minimum legal limit (commonly 1.6mm).
Tyre Wear Patterns
Look for uneven wear patterns. Uneven wear can indicate issues like misalignment, tyre imbalance or suspension problems.
Sidewall Integrity
Check the tyres’ sidewalls for any bulges, which might indicate internal damage or gouges that could compromise the safety of the tyre.
Spare Tyre
Don’t forget to check from time to time the condition and pressure of your spare tyre if you have one. You never know when you might need it.