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It is important to check your tyres regularly.
Your tyres are your vehicles only contact with the road, so in order to
drive safely it is imperative that all your tyres are in good condition.
They affect the steering, acceleration and braking of vehicles. They
should be checked at least every two weeks for having the correct tyre
pressure, for a safe level of tread and any visible damage.
The correct tyre
pressure will optimise fuel economy, prolong the life of your tyres,
which in turn will save you money, and help the environment by reducing
CO2 emissions, and by reducing the load caused by old tyres on landfill
sites.
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The correct tyre pressures for your vehicle can usually be
found in the vehicles handbook, on drivers door frame or on inside of the
drivers door.
Tyre pressures should always be taken whilst the tyres are
cold, even the shortest journeys can warm the tyres. As tyres wear away the
grip is reduced, this will adversely affect the vehicles handling,
particularly braking and increase the risk of
vehicle
accidents.
The legal minimum for tyre tread depth is 1.6mm in a
continuous band around the middle three quarters of a tyre. Most tyres have
tread wear indicators, usually small ribs across the bottom of the tread
groves. When the tread surface is level with these ribs, the tyre is about
to become illegal.
It is recommended that tyres are replaced before the tread
has worn down level to the rib indicators. If in doubt find a reputable tyre
retailer and ask them to check. It is illegal to have: - A cars tyre tread
worn below 1.6mm; Under or over inflated tyres; A mixture of radial and
cross ply tyres on the same vehicle; Damaged tyres with tears, cuts, lumps,
bulges or bald patches; Incorrect tyres fitted to a vehicle. New tyres
should meet European Standards for load and speed performance; this will be
shown by an 'E' or 'e' on the tyres side wall. Retread tyres supplied in the
UK must meet British Standard 'AU144e' and show that code.
This signifies that they have been tested and meet the
same performance standards as new tyres. Second hand tyres will display
'part-worn' next to the European or British Standard mark indicating the
have been correctly checked for faults. Recent
DfT figures show that under inflated or
faulty tyres are responsible for over a third of all
road accidents resulting in
injury.
Research by TyreSafe
indicates that over 10% of company cars and vans have at least one faulty
tyre and that another 12% have a tyre tread between 2mm and 1.6mm, which is
the legal minimum. It is estimated that some 70% of drivers are unaware of
the legal minimum tyre tread depth s |
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Our service is NATIONWIDE and our experts are helping people every
day in locations such as Newcastle, Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham,
Nottingham, London, Bristol, Cardiff and many many other UK towns and
cities.
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