Tyre Safety Month 2018

October is Tyre Safety Month and if you don't already, it's a perfect opportunity to get yourself in to good habits! For 2018's campaign from TyreSafe, the importance of checking your tyres once a month, every month has been outlined.

Check Your Tyres Once a Month Every Month

Checking your tyres thoroughly once a month is vital to ensure that your tyres are in good condition and will keep you safe on the road.

Whilst we may think it's most important to undertake tyre care during difficult winter weather, innovative research from TyreSafe has shown that it's actually summer months when British motorists are most at risk at being involved in a tyre-related incident.

Thanks to changing weather conditions, potentially busier roads and heavier holiday loads, tyres are under more pressure than you may realise which is why it is important to check your tyres monthly all year long.

Essential Tyre Checks

Don't know what you're looking out for? Take a look at our simple tips that you should undertake every month.

Tyre Tread

Tyres are manufactured with approximately 8mm of tread, which will wear naturally with use. It is important that you measure your tyre tread depth and check that your tread has not dropped below the legal limit of 1.6mm. If you are caught driving on tyres with tread below this limit you could face a £2,500 fine and three penalty points!

As tread helps your tyres to maintain grip with the road, Setyres would recommend replacing your tyres when tread drops below 3mm. Tyres with tread lower than this will take longer to come to a stop and will provide a reduced performance in wet conditions.

Checking your tyre tread is easy and can be undertaken at home. All you need to do is place a 20 pence coin in to the grooves of your tyre in at least three different places. If you can see the outer band of the coin, which is approximately 2mm thick, it's time to replace your tyres.

Tyre Pressures

It is so important that your tyres are inflated to the correct pressures that this now gets checked as part of the MOT test!

When tyres are under inflated they cannot properly retain contact with the surface of the road which means that your gripping capabilities will be drastically affected and it will take the tyre longer to come to a stop. Over inflated tyres are also dangerous as they have an uneven contact patch, meaning that they will also struggle to provide the grip you need.

Both under and over inflated tyres will wear more rapidly and are more susceptible to damage, so they will cost you more in the long run.

To check your tyre pressures, visit your local garage or service station and use the tyre pressure gauge to see how inflated your tyres are. You can check the recommended pressure for your tyres in the vehicle manufacturer handbook, on the fuel cap of your car or on the rim of the passenger door. You can then use the gauge to inflate your tyre to the necessary pressure.

The Condition of your Tyres

Finally you should check that your tyres are in good condition and have not suffered any damage. Visually inspect them for punctures, lumps, bulges or cuts and make an appointment with a tyre specialist if you do notice any forms of damage.

Even if damage seems small you should have it checked as there could be greater injury to the internal structure of the tyre which may make it dangerous to drive on.

Free Tyre Check at Setyres

Setyres are dedicated to tyre safety and always offer a FREE tyre check to our customers. Simply contact your local branch and make an appointment for one of our trained specialists to undertake all essential tyre checks.