Merityre Article Archive

Car tyres in good condition are not an excuse for driving fast in heavy rain. There is a high potential of aqua planning, significantly reduced visibility and you may encounter a flooded road.

This article provides advice about driving in heavy rain and what to do if you encounter a flood.

During the winter months regularly check your windscreen wipers to ensure they can cope with heavy rain. If the rubber has deteriorated, replace it immediately. It’s very simple to do or local garage will be happy to help.

If caught in a downpour then double the distance between yourself and the car in front. This is because stopping distances are increased on wet roads as your car tyres struggle to find grip. Visibility is also reduced which will lower your reaction time if required to brake suddenly.

Even today’s modern road surfaces struggle to cope with a heavy downpour and standing water is a potential hazard. Try to avoid standing water and slow down. If you don’t there is a high risk of the car aqua planning.

Aqua planning occurs when the car tyre’s tread pattern is unable to disperse enough water to maintain a point of contact between the tyre and the road. This makes the vehicle uncontrollable with the loss of steering, grip and a sensation of driving on ice. It can be a very frightening event as I’m sure anyone who has experienced it will agree. The best advice when it happens is to hold your steering wheel lightly and lift off the accelerator until your car tyres regain their grip.

If you’re unlucky enough to break down in heavy rain, stay with your car but check you are not in a location that is at risk of flash flooding. Your engine may have been affected by the water and in many cases the car will restart when it has had a chance to ‘dry out’. If you have called for assistance do not prop the bonnet open until help arrives. This will cause the electrics to become rain-soaked and the car will be even harder to restart.

The rain may be so heavy that you experience a flooded road. The AA provides some good advice about how to deal with this:

1. Do not drive through flooded water unless you know how deep it is.

2. Stay in the middle of the road. This is known as the crown of the road and should be where the flood water is shallowest.

3. Drive slowly to avoid creating a bow wave, which can cause neighbouring houses to be flooded.

4. Pass one vehicle at a time through flood water. Allow the oncoming traffic to pass first.

5. Do not risk driving through fast moving water as your car can easily be swept away.

6. Driving at speed through a flood can cause expensive damage. Even a small quantity of water sucked into the engine through the air intake will cause serious damage.

7. As you drive through the flood water, keep the engine revving by slipping the clutch. This prevents water in the exhaust which may stall the engine.

8. Test your brakes as soon as you leave the water.

Car tyres in good condition will be able to cope with most wet driving surfaces. But with heavy rain or a sudden downpour extra care must be taken to avoid a possible accident or injury.

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Merityre.co.uk are a leading UK independent supplier of car tyres. Visit their website for free vouchers, including 10% off your next MOT, free wheel alignment check and free locking wheel nuts.

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.

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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.