Tyre Safety Month: Seasonal Tyre Checks

It's that time of year again and TyreSafe have released their October tyre safety series of valuable tips and tricks to keep your tyres in tip-top condition.

This month we're looking at keeping up with monthly tyre checks across both summer and winter, and knowing what to look out for to keep you and your passengers safe.

There really is no excuse to neglect your tyres, and as the seasons change it is even more important to ensure that your tyres are maintained year-round.

Why Is Tyre Safety Important, Especially During Summer and Winter Months?

TyreSafe found that over half of drivers were driving on tyres that were either poorly maintained, or defective. With statistics revealing that 57% of tyres are underinflated, and 27% are already illegal at the time of replacement.

These stats are troubling when we consider that tyre-related incidents on the road account for more fatalities and injuries than mobile phone usage when driving.

So in keeping with tyre safety month, we want to help you get on top of your monthly checks. During summer and winter when the weather conditions can be at their most extreme, it is more important than ever to know what to look for and how to make regular checks.

What Should I Look Out For During a Monthly Tyre Check?

You don't need to be an expert to carry out regular tyre checks; here is what you should look out for:

Tyre Tread: Tyre tread is one the most important aspects of tyre safety, a tyre with little to no tread will have hardly any grip on the road, so during summer when the UK is likely to experience heavy rainfall, this can be incredibly dangerous.

• The legal depth of tread in the UK MUST be 1.6mm as a minimum.
• We recommend you always buy new tyres, rather than part worn, some part worn tyres can be sold on with as little as 2mm of tread.
• When checking the depth of your tyre tread, use the 20p test for a fast and accurate guide: simply place a 20p in-between the tread grooves of your tyre, if the outer band of the coin is visible your tread may be illegal and you should consider changing your tyres.

Tyre Pressure: For optimum driving and safety, checking your tyre pressure every month is a must. Inaccurate tyre pressure can affect the efficacy of your tyres when it comes to speed, handling response, wear rate and loading capacity.

• All new cars are equipped with a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), which will notify you of any pressure issues. Never ignore this warning. Find out more about how your TPMS works.

What Are The Benefits Of Checking Your Tyres In Summer and Winter?

Cold and damp conditions can dramatically affect the conditions of your vehicles tyres. It is therefore vital that you check your tyres every month to ensure they are holding up against dramatic changes in temperature and conditions.

• If you live in an area that suffers from extreme weather conditions during both summer and winter, consider changing your tyres. Most manufacturers offer both summer and winter tyres, designed to work best under specific conditions
• Driving during summer on all-season or summer tyres will allow you to grip surfaces better, even in wet conditions.
• Driving during winter on winter tyres will allow your tyres to bite through icy or snowy conditions with ease.

PTA Garage Services are dedicated to tyre safety and offer FREE Tyre Checks year-round, as well as during Tyre Safety Month. Contact your local branch to make an appointment.

Alternatively, take a look at our guides to tyre safety for further information on staying safe on the road.