Tyres, weather, road surfaces and driving safetyOf the many impressive things humans do each day, the ‘simple' act of driving is among the most complex. Few activities involve so many variables that are outside of an individual's control, but which drivers must successfully navigate in order to get safely from A to B. So says Tiger Wheel & Tyre, South Africa’s most awarded company in the retail wheel and tyre industry, and one that surely knows a thing or two about road safety. “Road surface conditions as well as weather conditions change from one road, and one minute, to another, and drivers have no control over these factors. What they can control is how well their tyres are equipped to handle challenges and how they react in these circumstances,” said Group Marketing Executive, Joe du Plooy. Indeed, tyres are the point of contact between vehicle and road, and should always be in peak condition. Consider that while the minimum legal tread depth is 1mm, the reality is that at just 50% worn, their road contact area is reduced by 75%. Worn tyres are especially dangerous in the wet, because they lose the ability to channel away surface water, increasing the risk of aquaplaning – where the vehicle loses traction and becomes uncontrollable. Tiger Wheel & Tyre’s top tips for emergency road safety and driving on different surfaces, include:
“Tyre maintenance is as important as reacting appropriately to changing driving conditions. Among other things, we recommend drivers inflate their tyres with nitrogen so they run cooler and last longer; check their tyre pressure and tread wear monthly; and rotate tyres and balance and align wheels every 10,000 km, or as indicated in their vehicle owner’s manual,” concluded du Plooy. For more information, or to find the nearest Tiger Wheel & Tyre, visit www.twt.to.
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