Check tyres to stay safe on roads following heavy rainfalls
With the amount of rain we’ve been having during the last few weeks it is a good idea for motorists to pay special attention to their tyres to stay safe on the wet roads.
Many roads will be experiencing high levels of standing water and unless your tyres are in good condition you run the risk of skidding due to reduced adhesion of the tyre following driving through deep water.
The build-up of rainfall on the road can also cause aquaplaning, which is the loss of steering capability and grip as a result of a layer of water forming between the tyre and road surface.
The risks associated with wet weather driving can be reduced through maintaining tyres to the manufacturer recommended pressures and to the legal minimum tread depth, according to the leading tyre safety organisation TyreSafe.
The level of tread will determine the ability to corner, and the ability to stop in the wet; braking distances are significantly extended in the wet by up to four times compared to dry conditions.
Motorists should undertake a simple 5 minute tyre safety check to ensure that their tyres are safe before starting their journey.
Check and adjust if necessary, the tyre pressure in each tyre including the spare as recommended in the manufacturer’s handbook.
Clean dirt from around valves and fit dust caps to all tyres
Remove stones and other foreign objects from the tread
Check that tyres have at least 1.6mm of tread across three quarters of the width of the tyre. TyreSafe recommends that motorists consider changing tyres when the tread falls below 3mm.
Check for un-even tyre wear which might mean steering misalignment or out of balance wheels.
Check tyres for cuts and bulges which could render the tyre defective and potentially dangerous.
Denna Bowman, Head Office
Number: Z8037079
Reg: NKF419
