Precautions to reduce tyre damage, cost and safety issues
When it comes to driving in and around Brisbane, no matter what vehicle you’ve got it’s a good idea to make sure that your tyres are correctly inflated. A weekly check should be enough for most Brisbane motorists to maintain the correct tyre pressure and avoid the dangers of underinflation or overinflation.
In this article, you’ll learn about the potential consequences of driving on incorrectly inflated tyres, and how to ensure poorly inflated tyres don’t cause damage to your pocket and your health.
Why should tyres be correctly inflated?
Tyre manufacturers spend hundreds of millions each year on research and development, to produce a product that is designed to increase the safety and comfort of drivers and their passengers. Rubber compounds, shape, tread patterns and construction have evolved to provide protection against potholes, rocks, ridged roads, and even curbing.
You wouldn’t expect optimum performance from a poorly maintained tyre, would you? All the money and effort that tyre manufacturers put into R&D produce tyres that are designed to run at their best at a certain inflated pressure.
If you underinflate or overinflate your tyres, you risk damaging them on Brisbane’s roads. That’s going to hurt your pocket. Even more importantly, poorly inflated tyres mess with handling and braking, making driving more dangerous. There are enough accidents in and around Brisbane as it is, without your poorly inflated tyres causing another.
The dangers of driving on underinflated tyres
Underinflated tyres lose some rigidity. This means a lack of support as you corner. They don’t respond as well, affecting safety. Because of their weakened state, they are more prone to puncture and blowouts. Finally, underinflated tyres put your wheels and engine under more stress. In the long run, more expense is promised, with tyre wear especially pronounced on both shoulders.
The dangers of driving on overinflated tyres
With too much air pumped into it, an overinflated tyre’s shape is distorted. There is less of the tyre on the road, meaning you lose traction and braking distances increase. You’ll also find that the centre of your tyre wears faster because this is the part in touch with the road.
An overinflated tyre is less forgiving than a correctly inflated tyre. It’s stiffer, and therefore less reactive to bumps and potholes and more prone to damage. You’ll suffer from a less comfortable ride, and the tyre noise is likely to be louder, too.
Pay attention to the quality of your drive
When you’re driving, if you feel that your drive experience is suddenly altered, it could be that one of your tyres has been damaged. Even correctly inflated tyres are not invincible. Pay attention to this. Stop the car and inspect your tyres. If you notice a cut, graze or bulge, don’t take any chances. Call an emergency tyre service, or, if you are near to Darra Tyres, bring the car immediately to us for a professional tyre inspection.
Check your tyres at least weekly
It only takes a couple of minutes to check your tyres are inflated correctly:
- Follow the recommended inflation pressures as shown on the tyre placard inside the door jamb.
- Inflate them to the correct pressure.
- Recheck your tyre pressures after a few minutes, to ensure they are not losing air.
- Maintain even tyre pressures on all four tyres.
A few minutes could save your life
Checking your tyre pressure takes only a few minutes, but it could be the few minutes that save your life. Certainly, running your tyres at the correct pressure will reduce fuel consumption and help your tyres last longer. Cost and safety – two excellent reasons to ensure you follow a good tyre maintenance routine.
If you are in any doubt about your tyres, don’t hesitate to contact Darra Tyres. We’ll make sure that your tyres are fit for the purpose intended.
Keeping your family and fleet safely on the road,
Kevin Wood