When you think about car safety your tyres might not be the very first thing you think about. But when you think about it our tyres are one of the most important safety aspects of our cars, they are what comes between our car and the road!
In fact, the safety of you, your passengers and your vehicle relies heavily on your tyres and their connection to the road. That is why it’s so important to keep them well maintained and safe.
Here are five ways you can make sure you are taking the best care of your car’s tyres –
Understand your car and its tyres – When you first get your vehicle it’s important to have a good read of the manual. It will tell you everything you need to know about the size, style and recommended pressures for your car’s tyres. To save you having to flick through the manual every time you check your tyre pressures keep a handy note in your car somewhere or even in your phone.
Regularly check pressures and tread – You should visually check your tyres regularly, a quick look once a week when you are getting in and out of your vehicle will mean you should begin to notice any changes in your tyres. Look for any lumps, bumps or bulges as well as cracks or any debris within the tread that could cause a puncture if left. You should also ensure you are regularly checking tyre pressures (you can check what pressure these should be in the manual of your car) and adjusting if necessary. Most petrol stations offer places for you to do this for around 20p. Another thing to regularly check is your tyre tread, you can do this visually or if you don’t feel confident doing this you can buy special tools that are designed to measure the tread left on your tyre. The minimum legal tread depth is 1.6mm although most garages and manufacturers recommend you change your tyres before tread dips below 2mm.
Buy good quality tyres – When it comes to buying new tyres you will often get offered lots of different options and makes. From budget range tyres to the top of the range tyres and of course we all want the best for our car because not only will it keep it your car safe on the road, but they will likely last longer too. It’s advisable to check out the costs of tyres and then choose the best tyres that you can reasonably afford for your vehicle.
Fit the correct tyres for the season – Whilst there is no legal requirement to use winter tyres on your car if you do plan on making lots of journeys during winter months, or you are more nervous driving on roads in the winter they are definitely worth considering. Whilst good quality regular tyres can be used all-year-round winter tyres have a slightly different tread pattern which offers maximum grip and traction on colder and potentially icy roads. The different shape/tread on the tyre helps disperse water and ice on roads much quicker and easier making it a safer option.
Ensure your wheels are aligned correctly – It is recommended to regularly get your wheels checked to ensure they are correctly aligned. Simply things can knock a car’s wheels out of alignment such as regularly going over speed bumps, potholes or knocking the kerb to name a few. If tyres are not correctly aligned it can result in your tyres wear unevenly, making them dangerous to drive on.
If you are unsure on anything above or you would like some information specific to your car any local garage should be able to help. You can also get your hands on good quality tyres in Northampton at the most affordable prices at Calmac Tyres or check out your local tyre centre.
Do you regularly check our car tyres and are they ready for the colder months ahead?