Under Pressure

How often do you check your tyre pressures?


Tyre pressures should be checked at fortnightly intervals and always before a long journey. 
Info for the correct pressures for your vehicle can be found in the vehicle handbook or very often on the inside of the driver or passenger door. Some vehicles have the info inside the fuel filler flap.
Check pressures when the tyres are cold (before a journey).
Don't forget to check the spare!


Under inflated tyres will:

• Heat up more quickly resulting in a possible blow-out!
• Reduce the tyre's contact patch on the road
• Increase your stopping distance
• Not perform as designed for wet, dry or icy conditions
• Increase your risk of aquaplaning
• Increase your risk of skidding
• Affect steering control and suspension
• Wear more quickly around the edges
• Use more fuel due to increased rolling resistance
• Increase the risk of a puncture

Over inflated tyres will:

• Reduce the tyre's contact patch on the road
• Increase your stopping distance
• Not perform as designed for wet, dry or icy conditions
• Increase your risk of aquaplaning
• Wear more quickly around the centre
• Affect steering control and suspension
• Put more stresses and strains on suspension
• Increase wheel, tyre and suspension damage from potholes
• Result in an uncomfortable ride

Check the diagram below to see the difference.

The tyre contact patch (the area that's in contact with the road) in an average car, with the correct pressures, is roughly equivalent to the size of a CD case.

If you can visualise this then you can see how under or over inflation can have a huge impact on your safety.

Visit http://www.tyresafe.org/ for more info or download the tyresafe app for iPhone to find the correct pressures for your vehicle.

Correct tyre pressures will keep you safe and save you money!

Tyre Talk.

New EU Tyre labelling


From 1st November 2012 a new EU tyre labelling system comes into force. 
This will allow you to choose tyres for your vehicle based on these three key areas:

• Wet braking performance
• Fuel efficiency
• External noise  

The labels will use the same format as those used on white goods, such as washing machines and fridges. 
It will be the responsibility of tyre distributors to ensure labels are either clearly visible to the end user or supply the information to users' themselves.
The main factor to consider here is safety versus cost! 

Driving on four tyres that are rated 'A' for wet braking performance will stop you up to 18 metres shorter (should you need to brake in an emergency) than four tyres that are 'G' rated.  


For fuel efficiency, choosing four 'A'-rated tyres over four 'G'-rated tyres
could reduce your fuel consumption by up to 7.5%.

Choosing tyres with the safety aspect and fuel efficiency in mind could save you more in the long run than buying cheaper alternatives.


You can find more details at:  

http://www.tyresafe.org/tyre-safety/tyre-labelling-information

White lines.

The next time you are out driving check out the length of the white lines in the middle of the carriageway. Longer white lines with shorter gaps are known as hazard warning lines and are used to help a driver identify hazards ahead such as bends and junctions or when approaching the brow of a hill.
Shorter white lines with longer gaps generally indicate a safer stretch of road; however, this is where oncoming vehicles could decide to overtake so look well ahead and try to anticipate other road users' intentions.

Country road observations

During the summer months, and especially after the recent rain many roadside verges are overgrown, which restricts our ability to make effective observations. 

Make sure you double check before committing to emerge and make a point of checking for motorcyclists who are extremely vulnerable at road junctions.

Wind down windows to improve your ability to assess the situation.

Try to anticipate the types of road users who are likely to be using country roads more frequently in good weather conditions.