Safe tyres matter a great deal as they are the only parts of your car that have contact with the road and are critical for getting you from point A to B safely. Safe tyres pertains the wheels’ grip to the road surface for stability and the driver’s handling of the car.
Frikkie van Eeden of Stoney’s Wheel and Tyre in Bloemfontein has emphasised the importance of safe tyres for vehicle owners to navigate the existing conditions in South Africa Z from extreme weather conditions characterised by heatwaves and heavy rainfall, to roads fraught with potholes.
“Worn-out tyres are dangerous; they can explode anytime and result in fatal accidents. As the temperature rises, the air pressure in your tyres increases, causing them to explode. Tyres are critical features of the vehicle, which must be properly checked, especially given our roads where you can hit dangerous potholes. Tyre safety matters a great deal to your vehicle’s safety and performance on the road,” he said.
Van Eeden has strongly warned against quick fixes to tyres and buying used tyres.
“The risks are very high and there is no guarantee for your hard-earned money, and no value for money spent.
“It is important to adjust your car’s tyre pressure, and do wheel balancing and alignment as part of safe driving. Do not wait too long to check your tyres once you notice something wrong. This helps to avoid a fatal accident that could result in the loss of life. Life cannot be replaced but tyres can.
“It is advisable to check tyres properly. Pay attention to the surface, especially inside of tyres, and the front tyres which mostly get worn out. This is a result of more friction from applying brakes and pulling away,” he said.
Van Eeden strongly emphasises the maintenance of tyres as added value. “It is important to rotate tyres every 10 000 km as part of the maintenance on your car. By doing that, treads are worn out evenly and you also save unnecessary costs due to neglect,” said Van Eeden.
According to Van Eeden, the quality of tyre brands in the country’s market meet the criteria set by the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS). However, he warns against bad driving habits.
“Bad driving habits, such as suddenly taking off (spinning) and sudden stopping impacts on tyres.”
Signs of unsafe tyres include:
- sudden change of direction when driving, or vehicle is skewed;
- car is slippery on wet roads or any wet surface;
- Low tread depth;
- car’s steering vibrates when driving; and
- loss of pressure in tyres.
