Tyre Safety – more important than great looking alloy wheels!

P.S We do both!

Watch this space for news about Tyre Safety month in October 2013 – we care about your tyres and safety just as much as we care about your alloy wheels and so are proud to announce that we are taking part in this great initiative.

The following information has been taken from the great TyreSafe website (click here for more)

“Correct tyre pressures are essential for your safety on the road. Under-inflated tyres are much more likely to suffer a dangerous blowout, typically at high speed on a busy motorway or main road. What’s more, properly inflated tyres last longer, help you use less fuel and give you better handling and braking, further reducing your chances of being involved in an accident.

The Facts

In 2011, more than 1,100 road casualties were caused in the UK by accidents where illegal, defective or under-inflated tyres were a contributory factor. Correctly inflated tyres last longer. When under-inflated, a tyre’s contact patch with the road surface is concentrated on its outer edges, causing rapid wear of the shoulder areas. When run at 80% of their recommend pressure, it is estimated that tyre life falls to around 75%. At 60% pressure, tyre life falls to just 35% of its potential. Correctly inflated tyres help reduce your fuel bills. When tyres are under-inflated they require more energy to make them turn (think about how difficult it is to push along a wheel barrow or ride a bicycle with a flat tyre!). When tyres are under-inflated by just 20% (around 6psi), 3% more fuel is used.

Tyre pressures should be checked at least once a month or before any long journeys. The correct pressure settings for your car can be found inside the vehicle handbook, inside the fuel filler cap or on a plate on the driver’s door sill. Alternatively you can download TyreSafe’s free iPhone pressure checker app, or search their online database by simply entering your vehicle’s registration number.”