Every motorist needs to understand that tyres will always deteriorate in quality over time and that excessive wear is incredibly dangerous. In fact, Government data shows that there were more than 30 people killed as a result of illegal or faulty tyres in 2016, but almost 75% of motorway incidents related to tyre failure could have been prevented with simple checks.
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Defectives Tyres Resulting in Avoidable Accidents
Additionally, DtF figures revealed that defective tyres were the leading cause of car accidents in the UK. The main tyre issues that lead to accidents are low tyre pressure, tread that is below the 1.6mm legal minimum and damage – these are all issues that can be identified with regular checks and this could stop a lot of accidents from happening each year.
Why You Need to Buy New
One of the big issues, as outlined by TyreSafe, is that many motorists buy part-worn tyres as a way to keep their costs down. The UK organization that promotes tyre safety conducted a study that found that 58% of tested used tyres had defects, so it is best to avoid these even if they are sold legally. Instead, you can find car tyres online that will be affordable but still new and of the highest standard to increase safety (and performance).
Why Damage Occurs
It is important to know where to buy tyres and why you should avoid part-worn, but what can you do to prevent tyre damage in the first place? First, you must understand why tyre damage occurs and there are 4 areas that can affect the condition of the tyres:
- Steering and wheel alignment
- Suspension
- Faulty braking system
- Improper tyre inflation
Prevention
In terms of preventing tyre damage from occurring, the best step to take is to stick to the service schedule of your car. This will ensure that the above will not affect the quality of your tyres and ensure that your car is in the best possible condition. On top of this, you should also check the tyre pressure and tread depth on a regular basis (especially before setting off for a long drive).
You will also find it helpful to rotate your tyres from time to time with every 6 months or 6,000 miles being the general rule of thumb for tyre rotation. This will help to prevent uneven wear and should help to increase the life of your tyres.
Faulty tyres can be incredibly dangerous to drive on and you need to be aware that tyres can degrade in quality quite quickly. This is why it is important to be aware of what causes tyre degradation and what you can do to slow this down, as well as why you need to source high-quality new tyres when the time comes for replacements.
