Whatever motor vehicle you drive, your only point of contact with the road surface is your tyres. The actual amount of tyre touching the road at any given time is very small is relation to the size of the vehicle. This makes it so important to look after your tyres and ensure they are safe at all times. You should be checking:

Tyre tread depth

All tyre pressures

Any signs of irregular wear e.g. alignment

Check overall condition of the tyres

Check the spare tyre

The legal limit for tyre tread is 1.6mm. This limit is for cars and passenger vehicles with up to eight seated passengers and also motor vehicles with trailers (including caravans) to 3500kg. For vehicles over 3500kgs the legal tyre tread depth is 1.0mm. When tyres reach this minimum depth they are unable to perform their job properly and need to be changed.

Your vehicles handbook should provide information on how to look after your tyre pressures and the adjustments required depending on the load of the vehicle. Tyre pressures should always be checked when the tyres are cold, and corrected if necessary. It is very important that tyre pressures are monitored throughout the year, because the changes in the temperature can affect them.

When looking at the tyres you need to check if the surface has worn evenly. An uneven surface could be due to poor wheel alignment or over/under inflation. You need to take your vehicle to a professional garage in order to resolve this.

It is also important to note that it is illegal to mix tyres, on the same axle, of a different formation (e.g. radial, cross-ply or bias belted.)

For more information please visit:

www.tyresafe.org

www.rospa.com

www.blackcircles.com