When driving, our only contact with the ground are four rubber patches touching the road. Your chain is only as strong as its weakest link, they say. Your car can be the most expensive in town, but if its tyres are not roadworthy, it has the same risk as driving an older car with similar tyres.
Despite the intense research and development on improving tyres, bursting tyres or blowouts still occur. They can be deadly, particularly when cars travel at high speeds. So, the old saying that prevention is better than cure certainly applies here. Read on and learn how you can minimize or avoid the risk of experiencing a blow-out.1
First things first – how are your car’s tyres?
Check the tyres’ condition the next time you visit the filling station. One way to discover a leak is when a particular tyre pressure is noticeably less than the other tyres. Inspect each tyre for any bulges, or further damage that could cause a blow-out, especially when about to travel long distances. 1
Maintain correct tyre pressures
Manufacturers assign specific tyre pressures for optimal performance. Over-inflating tyres will reduce their grip on the road because of less contact. Besides generating uneven wear, the risk of a blow-out with over-inflated tyres exceeds that for under-inflated tyres. Under-inflating tyres causes them to produce unnecessary heat due to excessive friction, and so increases the danger of a blow-out. Fuel consumption also rises due to extra friction. 1
Use your own pressure gauge
Air pressure gauges at filling stations may be uncalibrated and so may inadvertently over- or under-inflate tyres. It is advisable to check tyre pressures once a week with your own pressure gauge. 1
Are you observing the speed limit?
Speed limits are there for your safety. Besides being illegal when exceeding them, you place yourself and others in great danger. The faster you travel on the road, the greater the heat generated in tyres due to friction. If the heat build-up exceeds the manufacturer’s specifications, the risk of a tyre blow-out increases. Beware that concrete highways tend to be hotter than those made of tar. Keeping to the speed limit allows you to have better control of your car than at higher speeds. 1
Don’t overload your car
The manufacturers of your car and tyres specify what the permissible maximum load should be. Carrying full loads on long journeys may require slightly higher tyre pressures. Excessive loads place too much pressure on tyres and generate unnecessary friction, thereby increasing the risk of a blow-out. 1
Enjoy your breaks when travelling long distances
Not only does it help you as the driver to rest during a break, but it also gives tyres time to cool down before continuing the journey. It’s a good driving practice to stop every two hours. 1
Are the tyres roadworthy?
Not only do worn-out tyres increase the risk of a blow-out, but they can also be non-roadworthy. Besides it being illegal to drive a non-roadworthy car, you also risk rejection of your claim should you have an accident. It’s best to check your insurance policy’s tyre requirements, as it can differ depending on the insurer. 1
How can you tell if tyres are still roadworthy?
South African law requires that a tyre tread must not be less than 1.6 mm deep.2 Some tyres have wear indicators, and once they are level with the tread, the tyre has become non-roadworthy. 1,2
Disclaimer
The purpose of this article is to show how you can avoid bursting tyres. 1,2
Are you sure you are adequately covered based on the current condition of your car’s tyres? Contact us at PMD to discover more about our world-class client service and affordable car insurance products. They come with unique benefits, such as fixed premiums* and a reduce-to-zero excess*. T’s and C’s apply.
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Sources:
1https://www.cartoq.com/tyre-burst-blowout-how-to-avoid/
This article was prepared by Eric Sandmann in his personal capacity. The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own. The views and opinions in the article should not be attributed to anyone but the author unless expressly stated. Nothing in this article should be relied upon as advice, this publication is presented for informational purposes only. No person should act or refrain from acting in reliance on any information found in this article, without first obtaining proper financial advice from the appropriate professional. The author makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, or completeness, of any information linked from, referred to, or contained in this article. The author reserves the right, to edit and change the content of this article.
