Tyre pressure is a critical element of vehicle safety. Under-inflated tyres can cause overheating, which can result in tyre failure. Motorists should check their tyre pressures regularly in order to stay safe on the roads.
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Animated tyre safety guide
TyreSafe’s animated tyre safety guide is a set of ten easy-to-follow, digitally animated tyre safety lessons, designed to educate motorists about tyre wear and tyre pressure. The guide is colourful, clear and concise, providing valuable advice for motorists. The ‘Tyre Wear’ section encompasses wear and damage to tyres, tread depth, accidents and general tyre safety, while the ‘Tyre Pressure’ section covers why tyre pressure is vital to road safety, how to check pressure levels, where and when to adjust tyre pressure, as well as the associated tools and costs.
Under-inflated tyres can lead to increases in fuel consumption and reduce the longevity of tyres, requiring them to be replaced more often. Running tyres that are under-inflated by 20 percent of the recommended tyre pressure level can reduce the tyre’s life by up to 30 percent.
Tyre pressures should be checked regularly. Motorists should always check tyre pressures when tyres are cold, as the temperature of the air inside the tyre increases rapidly when driving.
To check the recommended tyre pressure level for your vehicle, refer to the manufacturer’s information, which can be found in the vehicle manual or on a label or plate inside the driver's door, inside the glove box or inside the flap to the fuel filler cap. Alternatively, motorists can find the information at a petrol station air cistern or at a tyre centre.
A tyre pressure gauge should be used to check tyre pressures. These can be purchased from any car accessories retailer and come in three forms: pencil shape, analogue dial or digital display. Motorists are advised to select a model showing both BAR and Psi.
Under-inflated tyres are one of the main causes of premature tyre wear. This can be made worse by over-loading and excess cornering speed. Taking better care of tyres improves vehicle handling, fuel economy and safety.
The legal limit for tread depth in the UK is 1.6mm in a continuous band around the central 75 percent of the tread width and around the whole circumference of the tyre. A tread depth gauge can be used to measure the depth of the tyre tread. Motorists driving with tyres under the legal limit risk a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty points for each tyre.
The general condition of tyres is influenced by a number of different factors, including under-inflation or over-inflation, misalignment of wheels or incorrect camber, all of which cause excess wear.
Damaged tyres should be replaced immediately. Typical damage could be a bulge in the tyre sidewall, often caused by impact with the curb, cuts and tears, caused by sharp objects, flat spots, caused by emergency stops, tyre cracking due to age or weather conditions and embedded objects.
Tyre condition is critical to vehicle safety. Independent research conducted by motoring organisations reveals that more than three million motorists in Britain never check their tyre pressure. Driving with illegal tyres invalidates motor insurance, and can result in heavy fines and penalty points.
Videos supplied courtesy of New Media Productions.
For further infomation, visit www.nmp.uk.com
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