TYRE SAFETY

1. Improperly balanced front wheels can cause wear of the steering mechanism. Have your wheel balancing checked at least once per year.

2. Driving with worn tyres on wet roads is dangerous. Have your tyres checked for safe tread depth every 10 000 km.

3. Don’t forget to check your spare tyre and keep it inflated at the correct tyre pressure.

4. Good quality tyres have tread-wear indicators. Be sure to check these indicators every 10 000 km.

5. Driving with just one under-inflated tyre can increase your fuel consumption by 4%. Be sure your tyres are inflated to the correct tyre pressure.

6. If tyres are incorrectly inflated, your vehicle won’t accelerate, brake or steer properly. Be sure your tyres are inflated to the correct tyre pressure.

7. Under-inflated tyres significantly increase fuel consumption. Be sure your tyres are inflated to the correct tyre pressure.

8. Good tyre maintenance reduces the impact of fuel emissions into the atmosphere.

9. Poor tyre maintenance shortens the life of your tyres.

10. Tyre treads should be checked monthly.

11. Safety devices like antilock braking systems, may not function properly if tyres are incorrectly inflated.

12. Driving an under-inflated tyre at highway speeds on a hot day increases the risk of a blow-out.

13. Driving an overloaded tyre at highway speeds on a hot day increases the risk of a blow-out.

14. An over-inflated tyre rides on only the centre of the tread, which reduces grip and handling.

15. A true tyre pressure reading is only possible when a vehicle has been stationary for at least three hours.

16. Tyres lose pressure when the air temperature drops.

17. Without enough air, the sides of a tyre bend and flex.

18. Under-inflation increases rolling resistance, which reduces a tyre’s tread life and increases fuel consumption.

19. Even if they look fine, tyres may be under-inflated by as much as 20%.

20. Tyre information is generally located inside the driver’s doorframe.

21. Store-sold tyre pressure gauges are generally more accurate than petrol station air pumps.

22. Checking tyres for foreign objects can prevent sudden tyre failure.

23. It is considered safe practice to have your wheel alignment checked once a year.

24. Misaligned wheels drag instead of rolling freely, increasing fuel consumption and decreasing safety. Wheel alignment should be checked at least once a year.

25. Unbalanced wheels lead to uneven tyre wear. Wheel balancing should be checked at least once a year.

26. Tyres with cuts, slits, cracks, blisters or bulges are highly dangerous.

27. New tyres should be the same size, have the same load capacity and speed rating as the original tyres.

28. Safe practice is to rotate tyres approximately every 10 000 km.

29. Front and back tyres usually wear differently, especially on front wheel drive vehicles.

30. Tyres last longer if you have them rotated at least once a year.

31. For maximum road holding, tyre tread depth should not be less than 4mm.

32. Excessive or uneven wear may indicate that the wheel alignment is out.

33. The main cause of tyre damage in improper inflation. 

34. Did you know? In wet conditions it takes a mid-range car with 3mm of tyre tread, 91m to come to a stop from 70mph. In the same car with only 1,6mm of tread, the stopping distance is as much as 135m!