It’s always vital that you take good care of your vehicles tyres, put perhaps even more so at this time of the year.

A spring begins to make its presence felt it’s easy to feel that the worst of the weather is behind us but nothing could be further from the truth. The days may be getting longer and brighter but the dangers of frost and ice are ones we should all still be very aware of. March and even April can still contain the last kick of a cold winter’s morning which combined with wet surfaces can lead to black ice and your first defence are your tyres. As well as keeping you safe, tyres at the correct pressure with proper tread depth also increase the fuel efficiency of your vehicle and reduce emissions.

It has been estimated that under-inflated tyres reduce fuel efficiency by one per cent for every three pounds of under-inflation and that an estimated 30 per cent of cars and light trucks are driven with one or more significantly under-inflated tires.

In addition to the increased fuel consumption and tyre wear, long intervals of driving with low tyre pressure can cause additional flexing and stress on the sidewalls, resulting in increased temperature that can lead to blow outs. Tyres with low pressure also degrade the vehicle’s handling and performance and lower the vehicle’s load-carrying ability.

To avoid disaster you should check your tyres at least once a week. A simple stroll around the vehicle to check for any imperfections or bulges combined with checking the pressure at a local garage or by using one of the many devices available to do the job is sufficient. Whenever you are heading off on a long journey it’s also advisable to check your tyres before you leave.

Refer to your owner’s handbook to see what pressure your tyres should be at and to ensure you have the correct size fitted. And always make sure you have a spare tyre in good condition in case of emergencies.

Comments (0) »

Show/Hide comment form

Name

Email

Title

Comment

Write the displayed characters

Add Comment