Tyre checks for taxis can save lives

"Minibus taxis transport approximately 15 million commuters daily, making it the most critical pillar of South African's public transport sector and a natural safety concern for the transport industry and commuters," says Dr Etienne Human, CEO of the South African Tyre Manufacturers Conference (SATMC).

Taking into account the fact that road accidents are the second-leading cause of unnatural deaths in South Africa and the fact that taxis operate under more severe conditions than the average passenger car, it becomes vital to ensure taxis adhere to only the highest tyre and related wheel safety standards.

"Worn brakes are typically flagged as the main area of concern to monitor and maintain, however tyres also play a vital role in the control, management and braking of any vehicle," Human explains.

To ensure optimum tyre performance, lifespan and safety, SATMC encourages taxi owners, drivers and users to regularly check their tyres for the following unsafe occurrences:

Low Pressure

Not only will low pressure shorten the lifespan of tyres, but it could cause premature tyre failure due to excessive flexing on the sidewalls and generate unnaturally high internal heat that will break the side wall of the tyre.

Similarly, tyres respond to overloading in the same manner as it would to under inflation, which means that the combination of under inflation and overloading could be lethal.

Smooth tyres

Worn tyres with a below regulatory tread depth could cause loss of traction and stability, which will prevent vehicles from responding to steering and road holding, especially in wet weather. This will ultimately cause extreme drifting, where the vehicle could spin out of control.

To reduce the risk of sliding across the road, check tread depth on all tyres and replace well before they reach regulatory minimum depth of 1.00 mm. Tread wear indicators in the grooves of the tyres are a quick way of checking the tread depth.

Missing valves caps, old valves and wheel nuts

Missing valve caps could cause clogging of the valves and unnatural loss of tyre air pressure, which will have the same effect as under inflated tyres. Always fit good valve caps.

Also replace valves with new ones when fitting new tyres, as the old ones become brittle and leak or can break off with a sudden loss of air occurs, which could cause an accident.

Reduce the risk of wheels coming off by regularly checking for loose or missing wheel nuts. Fit the correct wheel nuts and do not mix types of nuts.

Dieter Horni, chairperson of the SATMC says "a good habit is to have a good look at the four tyres before getting into the taxi as this will help to detect major problems such as under inflation or tyres damaged to prevent tyre failure and a possible accident. Be like a pilot who always inspects his plane before taking off".

Damaged tyres

Any damage on tyres could cause tyre failure, including punctures, smooth tyre tread, cuts and bulges. Although some damage to tyres can be fixed, no repairs can be done to the sidewall of a tyre.

Ary Coetzee, Chairperson of the SATMC Technical Committee advises that; "using a quick spaghetti type repair to seal a penetrated tyre is temporary and should be replaced with a proper mushroom type repair, where the tyre is removed, inspected and properly repaired as soon as possible. The spaghetti repair is a temporary solution; merely to assist you get to the tyre dealer for a proper repair.

"It is also vital to only fit radial commercial type tyres to taxi vehicles, such as 205R15C and as far as possible to fit locally made tyres designed for the South African road conditions. Furthermore, wheel alignment and good shock absorbers extend the life and safety of tyres and the people on board a taxi and other road users.

"Regular tyre inspections and early detection are vital to prevent tyre failure due to premature ageing or external damage," says Coetzee. "Taxi owners and drivers are therefore encouraged to have their tyres checked regularly by an expert, regardless of how old they are."