That's the thing, you see. These days, most of us don't do it much. It should be weekly, but a surprising, worrying proportion of motorists don't do it even every month, or three months ... or at all.
Under-pressured tyres wear more quickly, cost more in fuel ... and they can kill.
Under a fast bend pressure, or severe emergency braking, a neglected tyre can blow. You and your car could end upside down. Or embedded in something, like a tree, or a lorry.
Tyres also deteriorate with age. Just because a tyre has sufficient tread, this doesn't make it safe. Check carefully for signs of cracking and aging. If in doubt ask an expert. Tyres should be replaced if they are more than ten years old. Even unused spares should be discarded after six years. The materials used to make tyres dry out over time and can eventually separate, causing distortion, vibration and potentially failure.
Drivers need be aware too that even though the legal minimum tread depth is 1.6mm, in the rain anything less than 3mm can affect performance.
According to the EU 20-30% of all fuel used by cars is to overcome the rolling resistance of tyres. The EU is currently discussing measures to add extra information to tyre walls indicating fuel efficiency, wet grip and external rolling noise characteristics.
Meantime, before you head off down the country for Easter, check the pressures at least, and while you're down at that level, have a good look at the overall conditions.
And don't forget the spare ...
Advt
