Car and Van Tyres - Your Safety

How often do you think about your Tyres?

For most of us not very often!

The ubiquitous tyre is a much abused part of your Car or Van but ignore them at your peril, after all this relatively small area of rubber is all that keeps you on the road.

Don't forget all your braking, accelerating and cornering involves the tyres and they are responsible for keeping you going in the desired direction. We also expect them to work in wet, snowy, hot and windy conditions. We want to be able to drive on fast on Motorways, travel on A and B roads safely and on occasions some will be requires to work off road as well.

According to a recent survey skidding on wet roads is one of the greatest fears of the UK motorists see The Fear of Skidding On Wet Roads

What do I need to know?

The legal minimum amount of tread depth required is currently 1.6mm, across ¾ of the tread around the complete circumference of the tyre. However many manufacturers and tyre specialists recommend replacement between 2 and 3mm of tread depth. If you are on a full maintenance Contract Hire agreement your Contract Hire provider will confirm a depth they would allow tyres to be replaced at. Most Contract Hire companies will sanction tyre replacement at 2mm.

Ignore your tread depth and you could not only be putting yourself at physical risk but also you can find yourself running foul of the law. If your tyres are found to be below the legal limit you can be fined up to £2,500 and 3 penalty points per tyre.

You must also make sure you don't mix tyres of different construction on the same axle, i.e. Cross Ply with radials.

It is very important to regularly check your tyres, not only to make sure they are inflated to the manufacturer's correct pressure but to ensure they are not worn excessively or show signs of damage.

If you are going to be carrying more passengers than normal, carry a heavy load or tow a heavy object you should look to see if the manufacturer recommends adjusting your tyre pressures.

As tyres are expected to travel over lots of different surfaces they often come into contact with items that can damage them. Hit a pothole at speed and this can cause damage to the tyre, go over sharp objects or knock them hard against a kerb can again all cause damage When you are looking at your tyres check for cuts, abrasions or bulges, clear your tread of any stones, nails or other items that are embedded. If you are not sure if the tyre is damaged seek expert guidance, this can be obtained by visiting any reputable tyre fitting company or calling your Contract Hire or Leasing company.

If your vehicle is on Contract Hire, many of these suppliers will offer a mobile service with tyre specialists coming to your business premises.

It is also important to routinely check your spare tyre to make sure it's fully inflated, not much use if you have a puncture only to find the spare is flat. Don't forget where you have a spare tyre in the car it must comply with the minimum tread depth.

Some vehicles no longer have a spare tyre included; these will have specialist 'run flat' tyres fitted or a can of 'instant' repair will be provided in the vehicle. Details of this can be found in the manufacturer's handbook. In the event you do get a puncture ensure you get the tyre replaced of repaired straight away.

In the event you have a puncture whilst driving you should try to get your vehicle to a safe position to park. In most circumstances it is best to call your breakdown company to assist you in either changing to the spare tyre or recovering you to a specialist tyre fitting company. Trying to fit a spare wheel to your own vehicle without the use of specialist equipment next to a busy road can be dangerous, always best to seek professional help.

Many cars have locking wheel nuts fitted so make sure you know where the keys or specialist removal tool are in the car, nothing worse than being caught out with a flat tyre and no way of removing the wheel. Next time you go to your car or van why not have a good look at your tyres, after all they are the only thing that is contact with the road, your life depends on them.

Useful sources of information

• www.rospa.com
• www.kwik-fit.com
• www.tyresafe.org
• www.national.co.uk