Merityre Article Archive

‘There are lies, damned lies and statistics.’ Mark Twain claimed Benjamin Disraeli said this in the 19^th Century. True, some say that statistics can be misleading but they can also be sobering, to say the least.  Take, for example, this figure, released in September by the Department for Transport. Apparently, illegal, defective and underinflated car tyres caused over 1,210 road casualties in Great Britain during 2010. Over the last five years, 164 motorists have died as a result of having defective car tyres, 18 of those deaths occurring in 2010, according to the Road Casualties in Great Britain report.

What can be done about this? Well, October is Tyre Safety Month. Not for profit organisation TyreSafe was established in 2006 and is now one of the UK’s leading tyre safety organisations. As its chairman Stuart Jackson says, “The latest figures are truly shocking and emphasise why we need ongoing action, education and awareness about tyre safety issues.”

TyreSafe is working hard to ensure that we are informed about the importance of looking after ourselves and the safety of others by looking after our car tyres. As part of Tyre Safety Month, drivers will be given a free tyre safety check. Where? Hundreds of tyre dealers and garages are taking part, so try your local ones.

There are also a number of online resources, to show you how to carry out critical car tyre safety checks quickly and easily. An enlightening online video, of a car being driven on ice, demonstrates the benefits of winter tyres.

Stuart Jackson continues, “If all drivers took just a few minutes every month to check their tyre pressures, condition and tread depth, we could help prevent this needless injury and loss of life. Our website contains some really simple guides to help drivers understand what to look for.”

Tyre Safety Month is as much about education as awareness. The abovementioned website has material that will leave you fully informed about your car tyres and safety. You can learn about checking your tyres’ tread depth and ensuring they contain the correct tyre pressure. There are also TyreSafe’s ‘Magnificent 7 Car Tyre Safety Tips’.

As we all know, the tail end of the summer season heralds the onset of poorer weather. We should also bear in mind that the need for car tyre safety monitoring will continue ad infinitum…it won’t go away when November blusters its way in. In the short term, you can take a look at the TyreSafe web site. In the longer term, you may want to consider investing in a set of winter tyres. Or you could reflect on the wisdom of looking after the tyres you already have, keeping them in prime condition and being aware of the need to replace then as and when necessary.

The bottom line is this. As has been said time and time again, your car tyres are all that are ultimately keeping you on the road. Assuming you have no desire to become a statistic, neglect them at your peril.  Why not take a look at keeping your tyres safe– it might just be a life-saving bit of browsing.

Article Resource:

Merityre.co.uk are one of the leading UK independent suppliers of car tyres. Why not visit their website for an online tyre quote or contact your nearest fitting centre.

As the cold and wet winter months approach now is a good time to check the condition of your car tyres. Car tyres are the only point of contact between your vehicle and the road. Any signs of wear or damage will decrease the performance of your tyres and endanger not only yourself but other road users too.

It is especially important to check your car tyres during winter as there is greater chance you will be driving in wet and icy conditions.

Based on the information provided by TyreSafe, three essential car tyre checks include:

1) Check the Tread Depth

Tread depth must be a minimum of 1.6mm. This is the legal minimum and applies to the entire circumference of the tyre.

Most tyres have a wear indicator built into the tread. Look for a horizontal bar of rubber located between the tread patterns, at a depth of 2mm. When the height of the tread wears down to the height of this bar it is time to replace your car tyres.

In the wet conditions that winter brings it is good advice to change your tyres well before they reach this limit. A tyre’s grip deteriorates more rapidly in the second half of its tread life and in the wet stopping distances is significantly increased.

If you notice unusual wear on your car tyre, such as excess wear on one edge, it may be a result of your wheels being incorrectly aligned. Consult your local garage or a tyre specialist to check your vehicle’s tracking.

2) Check Tyre Pressure

A car tyre that is inflated below its recommended pressure will wear faster because of its higher operating temperature and the extra flexing of the rubber. This causes deterioration of the tyre casing and rapid wear of the tread shoulders.

Over inflation can also increase wear due to the decreased size of the contact area between the car tyre and the road. This accelerates the wear in the centre of the tread, an area importantant for protecting the tyre against impact damage.

Driving with unequal pressures in your car tyres will lead to unusual and accelerated wear. It can be potentially dangerous as the balance of the car is upset and cornering with unevenly pressurised tyres can lead to unpredictable results.

3) Check Condition of Tyres

Remove any stones and other objects embedded in a car tyre’s tread. If you find a nail do not remove it as the tyre will rapidly deflate. Instead take the tyre to a specialist who may be able to repair the puncture.

Check for any unusual bulges or lumps as these are often a sign of internal damage.

Inspect the tread and sidewall rubber for sign of cracking. Crazing and cracking due to weather exposure usually becomes evident on car tyres that are more than five years old. However tyres on vehicles that are parked outside will degrade faster than those kept in a garage.

At the first sign of cracking change the tyre rather than risking a blowout when the vehicle is in motion.

Car tyres should be checked at least once a month. Regular inspection becomes more important the longer the tyre is in use. If any damage or unusual wear is found consult a car tyre specialist who will determine whether the tyre needs to be replaced.

Article Resource
Merityre.co.uk are a leading UK independent supplier of car tyres. Visit the website to join their discount club and receive a fabulous 5% extra discount off future purchases from their massive range of top brand car tyres, alloy wheels, batteries and exhausts.