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!
No comments:
Post a Comment