Check tyres before driving away on skiing holiday
Anyone planning to drive abroad on a skiing holiday should remember that that you can cut the risk of a motoring accident by making sure your tyres are safe to tackle sub-zero weather conditions.
According to TyreSafe, the leading tyres safety organisation, over 175,000 British skiers travelled to their European holiday destination by car during the 2007-08 season.
However, they all risked an abrupt end to their trip if they were driving heavily laden cars with incorrect tyre pressures or low tread depth on icy, snow-covered roads.
TyreSafe warns that driving in snowy mountain regions requires a good level of tread depth to maintain traction with the road and stay in control of the vehicle.
It also reminds motorists that in certain European countries it is a legal requirement to fit cold weather tyres and so you should be careful to check the legislation of your destination country and any you will drive through on the way there before leaving, in order to avoid costly penalties or invalidating your insurance.
And finally, even something as simple as checking the tyre pressure for your vehicle when fully laden with passengers, luggage and ski equipment is also vital, as it may be necessary to increase the pressures to support the increased load.
Alex Kapadia, Head Office
Number: Z8037079
Reg: NKF419
