With the rainy season in full-swing here in South Africa, if you’re a regular driver, you’re bound to drive on the wet road a few times. Making sure your tyres are rain-ready should be an important aspect of your car safety evaluation. Here are some handy tyre safety tips for driving in wet weather.
Check your treads
Make sure your tyre tread does not reach 1mm or less (South Africa’s legal limit) because it could result in:
• Your tyre(s) bursting or being punctured whilst driving.
• A negative impact on your ability to brake properly.
• Your vehicle getting stuck in places that require an adequate amount of tyre traction to get out of.
Get some air
Check your car’s manual or the sticker usually found on the inside of the driver’s door to check how much air your tyres need.
• Under-inflating your tyres can result in them bursting due to rolling resistance and will also increase your fuel consumption.
• Over-inflating your tyres will make them more vulnerable to punctures and (because there is less contact with the road surface) will negatively impact your road handling.
Be aligned
Making sure your wheels are properly aligned will:
• Reduce the rapid and uneven wear of your tyres.
• Ensure that your car travels straight in reduced visibility (i.e. thick fog and mist).
Keep you and your loved ones safe. Visit Tiger Wheel & Tyre and make sure your tyres are rain-ready – you get a free safety check in November.
References
https://www.aa.co.za/insights/tyres-are-critical-safety-features-check-them-properly-and-regularly
https://www.aa.co.za/insights/car-tyre-safety-remains-a-problem-in-sa
https://www.aa.co.za/insights/weather-and-holidays-impact-fleet-safety
https://www.miway.co.za/blog/useful-info/driving-in-foggy-conditions-don-t-make-these-8-mistakes
