Save yourself some pennies this winter and get your tyres checked today!
DON’T GET CAUGHT OUT THIS WINTER
Save yourself some pennies this winter and get your tyres checked today!
by Stephen Murphy
As winter creeps upon us, it’s the time of year when the police are more prevalent and will be pulling people in to check and ensure that all tyres are safe and acceptable for the roads.
Points Don’t Make Prizes!!!
If you are pulled over and your tyres are deemed to be unfit and unsafe, not only will you have to replace the tyre immediately, but you could also be in line for 3 penalty points and a whopping £2,500 fine per illegal tyre which is definitely not ideal just before Christmas.
Driving with bald tyres can be extremely dangerous, and it could also result in you losing your driving license alongside extortionate fines. It’s not a great scenario but thankfully it is avoidable.
So what to do?
Check the condition of your tyres regularly. If you’re worried about any aspect of your tyres, head to your nearest garage and have them look over your tyres.
Quick and easy ways to check the tread on your tyres are either using a tread depth gauge—if you have one—and checking your tread wear indicators, or trying the good old-fashioned 20p coin test.
The 20p coin test
It’s not the most accurate method, but you can roughly see if your tyre tread depth is low by inserting a 20p coin into the grooves of your tyres.
If you can see the outer band of the coin once inserted, your tread depth is low, and you will need to replace your tyres.
Tread Depth Gauge
A tread depth gauge is a device used to help assess wear on your tyres more accurately and measure the tread depth across the full circumference of the tyre.
Good tyres are safe tyres and are crucial not only for your safety but are also good for your pocket as well.
It is a known fact that properly inflated tyres save on fuel costs, meaning more pennies in your pocket, and the whole not crashing and dying thing comes in handy.
Check your wheel alignment (tracking), as this can cause significant unwanted wear on your tyres, poor handling, and increased fuel consumption.
Telltale signs that your wheels are misaligned and need tracking:
- Your tyres seem to be wearing out quicker than normal
- Your steering wheel vibrates and shudders
- Your vehicle pulls to one side; or you have difficulty turning corners.
If any of the above happens, get booked into your nearest garage and let them crack on with getting you back on the road.
Safe travels out there.
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