Tyre safety is crucial; however it’s something which is often overlooked by drivers. Considering the small amount of surface area on an average tyre and the amount of contact which that area has with the road, it’s fair to say that this part of a car endures quite a bit of wear and tear, and as such needs to be carefully looked after. CP Plus say that drivers shouldn’t simply rely on their MOT or garage servicing to tell them when they need new tyres; drivers should frequently monitor wear, and consider purchasing a new set of tyres when the tread begins to reach a depth of 3mm.
The front and rear wheel drives take most of the pressure during driving and because of this they tend to wear out far more quickly that the other tyres. To ensure that these last as long as possible, CP Plus says that drivers can ask their auto-mechanic to swap the back and front ones over on a regular basis. The tyres with the best grip should always be fitted to the rear axle. Drivers will probably not notice the difference when driving in normal conditions, however they will find that handling the car is much easier if they need to do an emergency break and the rear wheel has sufficient grip.
According to CP Plus, tread depth is also extremely important for safe driving. The ability of the wheels to grip, particularly in wet conditions, will worsen as the tread wears. Below 3mm, this will be especially evident. Tread depth should be checked more often once it reaches 3mm, and the tyres will need to be replaced once the tread wears past 2mm. Tread depth is most important during the colder seaons, when road conditions tend to be worse.
Uneven tyre wear is another issue which drivers should be aware of, says CP Plus. A suspension which is misaligned will lead to this problem. If drivers notice that their car is dragging to one side, or that there is excessive wear to either outer or inner shoulders of the tyre, they should ask a garage to look at the alignment or ‘tracking’ of the car.
CP Plus 