Motorists Urged to Check Tyres in Rain-Hit Regions
Motorists in rain-hit regions are being urged to check their tyres are roadworthy before venturing out in torrential downpours forecast for this weekend.
Police in Derbyshire are warning motorists to take special care with their tyres after five people were killed on the county’s roads last weekend.
PC Dave Harris, the forces senior forensic collision investigator, explained that tyres need to have plenty of tread to stop the car slipping on surface water on the roads.
He said: “Tyres don’t have to be bald to perform badly in wet weather. When a vehicle travels through standing water resulting from heavy rain, the tyres need as much tread as possible in order to clear a path through the water and maintain their grip to avoid the situation known as aquaplaning.”
Also, police have warned motorists to make sure their newest tyres are on the back wheels to stop the car spinning out of control on wet roads.
PC Harris added: “Hitting a pool of standing water at speed, especially in the dark is bad enough, but trying to regain control of a car when the back end has unexpectedly ’stepped-out’ is a huge challenge for any driver.
“The message is simple. Regardless of whether a car is rear-wheel or front-wheel drive, if you buy less than a full set of new tyres always make sure that the new tyres go on the back.”
Oliver Hall, Operations Team
Number: Z8037079
Reg: NKF419
