TYRE CARE - USING THE COINS TEST

Proper tyre care and safety is simple, easy and can be done in a few minutes, using a spare change. Tyres depend on good thread condition depth to maintain and to shed water on wet roads. The thread should be checked at least once a month for excessive and uneven wear.

Tyre problems are thought to be a factor in one out of 11 vehicle crashes. Blowouts, thread-separation, under inflation, and worn threads, the grooves in your tyres that offer stability and traction are some of the tyre problems associated with these crashes.

Advanced and unusual wear can reduce the ability of thread to grip the road in adverse conditions. Visually check your tyres for uneven wear, looking for high and low areas or unusually smooth areas can help detect if you need to replace your tyres. Also check for signs of damage.

Many people think only worn tyres need to be replaced. That is certainly true. But old tyres are also a concern. As tyres age, they become more prone to failure, whether they have been used or not.

But age is not the only factor. Thread matters too. A worn tyre can be just as dangerous, or even more so, than one that is simply old. In one study, vehicles with shallower threads (less than 2/32″ deep) were 3 times more likely to experience pre-crash tyre troubles than those with deeper threads.

While the minimum safe tyre thread depth is 2/32″, consider replacing your tyres at the 4/32″ mark, especially if you drive in rainy conditions.

Like a pair of sneakers that get more slippery with use, your tyres lose their ability to grip the road as their threads wear down. Checking your tyre threads can help keep you safer on the road.

Luckily as mentioned above, it only takes a few minutes, and some spare change to traditionally check the status of your tyres;

Take a N1 coin and place it in multiple grooves around your tyres. If the top of Herbert Macaulay’s head is always covered, you have more than 2/32″ of thread remaining. If you can see all of Herbert Macaulay’s head, it is time to replace your tyres.

Basic checks like these take just a few minutes and can help save lives. So put that change in your pocket to good use to help keep you safe.

Follow us on our twitter handle - @con_hallmark 

& facebook page - conhallmark

Visit our website for our tailor-made insurance covers at www.consolidatedhallmark.com

Sources:

http://www.rma.org/tire-safety/

http://exchange.aaa.com/automobiles-travel/automobiles/car-care-and-maintenance/tire-safety-and-maintenance/#.VtgN8vkrKM8

http://www.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa/Safety1nNum3ers/june2013/SafteyInNumbersJune2013.html