Research has shown that tyre defects are the most common of vehicle faults, so before you take to the highway for that trans-country drive to friends and family, make sure your tyres are up to the task.
Research has shown that tyre defects are the most common of vehicle faults, so before you take to the highway for that trans-country drive to friends and family, make sure your tyres are up to the task.
Tyres are undoubtedly the most critical safety component on a vehicle, affecting traction, handling, steering, stability and braking. According to the research, South Africa displays trends similar to those of developing countries.
This implies that an increase in the number of vehicles on the road has contributed to an increase in the number of road traffic fatalities. As countless families across SA prepare to depart for their holiday destinations, it is a worrying fact that many will do so without taking the time to check the health of their tyres.
“Drivers often forget that only correctly inflated tyres can do their job properly, delivering the right level of handling performance," says Goodyear Product Manager Robert Harris "Our comprehensive tyre tests show that both under- and over-inflation can have a significant impact on the car’s overall driving behaviour and its stopping distance.
"But it's not only the car’s safety that's compromised; it also decreases the tyres’ potential mileage and the car’s fuel efficiency.” Harris offered the following tips about tyre safety Inflate properly for better driving stability:
– Properly inflated tyres are necessary to keep the vehicle’s handling performance at optimal levels, especially its cornering and braking abilities. Many problems start with a gradual and unnoticed loss of inflation pressure.
– Don’t kick your tyres – check them properly. Tyres may loose up to 0.2 bars air pressure in a three-month time period, solely as a result of the everyday diffusion processes in the tyre. Studies carried out by the European Union have shown that more than 64% of all cars have under-inflated tyres.
– Good condition matters. Apart from checking for under- or over-inflation, drivers should also make sure they don’t set off on tyres in poor condition.
– Heavy load. Going on holiday usually means piling the entire family and a whole lot of luggage into the car. Not only does a heavy load or towing a caravan or trailer make the car more difficult to manoeuvre, it puts extra strain on the vehicle and tyres. For a loaded car, the tyre pressure must be increased according to the car’s manual.
– Don’t underestimate the heat. Summer heat increases air pressure in tyres, so the tyre pressure should be checked when the tyres are cold. Remember to check the spare too.
– Under-inflated tyres cost money. Under-inflated and over-inflated tyres don’t use the full tread area equally. Under-inflation leads to increased tread wear of the outside area of the tyre’s tread while over-inflation increases the tread wear of the inside area. Both affect the tyre’s mileage, because the tread wears out faster and unevenly. Underinflated tyres also need more energy to roll smoothly. The vehicle’s fuel efficiency decreases and motorists get less kilometres for every litre of fuel.
