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Summer travelling tip: Pay attention to your tyres!

Tyre safety can make the difference between an enjoyable and a troublesome holiday

by Laura Diaz

As you get ready for your lovely summer holidays, we have one important tip: pay close attention to your tyres

Oh, summer. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and the caravans are restlessly awaiting to be towed away into the sunset. Yes, the perfect time of year to take your families on holiday to create memories they will cherish for a lifetime. However, there is one particular item on your holiday checklist you might want to pay close attention to: your tyres.

TyreSafe, one of the UK’s leading tyre safety organisations, has launched an awareness campaign for motorists to pay extra attention to their tyres to ensure safety during their summer travels.

TyreSafe chairman, Stuart Jackson, explained the importance of tyre safety: “The summer months are normally the peak season for towing-related incidents on our roads, many of which are tyre-related.”

He continued, “By making some thorough safety checks as part of any travel preparations, many of these needless problems can be avoided.”

TyreSafe is stressing upon travellers that they follow certain safety precautions before heading out on their holidays. Firstly, holidaymakers should ensure their vehicles’ tyres are properly inflated for the load they will carry. Under-inflated tyres are prone to overheating and thus suffering rapid failures, which can result in the driver losing control of the vehicle. Those tyre debris residues can then be harmful to other motorists on the road.

Second, the tyre tread depth should be compliant and exceed the government’s minimum of 1.6mm across the central three quarters around its circumference. To check this, motorists may utilise a calibrated tread depth gauge or a 20p coin. The latter option requires you to place the 20p coin in the main tread grooves of the tyre. If the outer band of the coin is obscured, then the tyres typically exceed the legal minimum. If the outer band is visible, then the tyre will probably need to be replaced.

Below, you will find a quick video demonstration, provided by etyres, on how to check your tyre tread depth.

Last, but not least, the general conditions of the tyres should be taken into account before departing on any road holidays. Signs of damage, such as lumps, bugles, cuts, cracks or unevenness, should be seen as red flags that mean the tyre might need replacement.