Tyre Safety Month!

Did you know that statistics show that a jaw dropping 35% of tyres are being driven at least 8psi below the vehicle manufacturer’s recommendations?

It’s October, which means it’s tyre safety month. Your tyres do more than just keep a contact with the road, they also have a decisive influence on the way that your car brakes, corners and accelerates. Safe tyres being driven on with the correct amount of air pressure can seriously reduce the risks to you, your passengers and other road users.

In this blog, we’ll talk about how to check the health of your tyres, as well as the dangers of buying part worn.

Tread pattern wear and tear.

Under UK law the legal minimal tread depth for a road vehicle is 1.6mm across the central ¾ of a tyre. As this is a legal requirement, failure to meet this requirement does mean that your car will fail an MOT.

Tread patterns aren’t just there to provide more grip, the grooves in the rubber also allow water, mud, and any other loose surfaces to be channelled safely, with the tread pattern still maintaining a contact on the road.

This tread pattern is designed to wear evenly, and if you notice your tyres are wearing unevenly, it could be indicative of an issue with your alignment, or even something more serious such as your brakes or steering components, so it’s important to keep an eye on your tyre tread.

Replacing your tyres with part worns.

Part worn tyres can be tempting when money is tight, but are they a false economy?

According to research by Trading Standards and safety campaigner TyreSafe, the majority of UK part-worn tyre retailers aren’t meeting legal safety requirements. 152 outlets were tested, and just 13 met the legal requirements needed.

New tyres can come with up to 8mm of tread whereas some part-worns will be only just over the legal limit, meaning you’ll be replacing your tyres more often. Another thing to take into consideration, is why the tyres were taken off the previous vehicle to start with, did the previous driver think them unsafe? Or did the previous car get into an accident where the tyres have potentially sustained damage?

If you could be 100% sure that your part worn tyres are 100% safe, you could consider it. Unfortunately though, this isn’t always the case and a lot of second-hand tyres aren’t meeting the minimum standards and serious thought needs to be given when you’re choosing them.

How to check your tyre pressure

Before you begin, it’s helpful if your pressure guage uses the same unit of measurement as the pressure guidelines that are given for your vehicle.

Of course, if you have any questions or you’re concerned about the safety of your vehicle, give us a ring. It’s always better to be safe than sorry!

Happy motoring, and keep safe!