Tyre Safety Month 2023 – Tyre Safety Checks

Article written by Bush Tyres

This October, we are supporting TyreSafe.org and the “Be safe and save” campaign to help remind drivers the benefits and importance of proper tyre maintenance. The only point of contact between your vehicle and the road is the tyre! Tyre safety is essential for safe and effective driving.

Following last week’s feature on dangerous tyres and some examples our teams have seen in our branches. Protect yourself and your passengers by making sure that the tyres on your vehicles are safe. Keeping your tyres in top condition won’t just help avoid costly repairs but can also help save lives.

Checks you should carry out regularly.

Remember to ACT – Air pressure, Condition and Tread.

Air pressure – make sure to account for any additional weight. This is caused by filling the car and/or roof box with luggage. You can find the correct pressures for your vehicle in your vehicle handbook, in the sill of the driver’s door or on the inside of the fuel tank flap.

Condition – If you find any damage or defects, we can check these for you. If you are not sure what to look for, take advantage of our FREE tyre checks and remove any stones lodged in the tread and check for any cuts or bulges. Cracking of the tyre’s sidewall can also indicate the tyre has lost some of its suppleness and may be beyond its safe lifespan. If you see this ‘crazing’ effect or small cracks on the surface, you should also call in for the age to be checked.

Tread – the minimum legal UK tread depth for vehicles under 3.5 tons is 1.6 mm. Once a tyre is down to 2mm it is 94% worn and barely legal. Below 3mm you have a higher risk of an incident as your tyre is 78% worn and will no longer displace water as effectively. Below 4mm we recommend you check your tyres every month to make sure you change them before they drop below 2mm.

If you don’t want to visit and don’t have a tread depth gauge a 20p coin can be used as a guide, insert the coin into the central grooves of your tyre at several points around its circumference. If you can see the border at any point, it might be illegal and should be checked by a professional.

To find out more about the tyre checks which will help you reduce the risks of a tyre-related incident out on the roads, visit tyresafe.org

Tyre checks help reduce the risk of a tyre-related incident on the road. Visit any one of our local branches or click here to make a FREE appointment to have your tyres checked today.

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