Cold and wet weather brings a whole host of scary driving possibilities so you’ll want to ensure your tyres will have the best possible grip on the road. Not only will this help to make your vehicle safer, it will ensure the safety of other road-users. Safe T Tyre is an Australian owned wholesale supplier of top-quality tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS). From tyre pressure monitoring to tyre rotation, here are a few tips to help you make sure your tyres are ready for autumn and winter driving.
Check Your Tyre Tread Depth
To function safely in a variety of wintery weather conditions, your tyre tread must be in good condition. In wet conditions, tread grooves help to evacuate water out from under your tyre, allowing your tyre to maintain contact with the road. When these grooves wear down and become shallow, water cannot drain fast enough and the tyre can lose its grip on the road. If your current tyres are worn down to anywhere near the wear bars (2.5mm or 3.0mm), it’s time to think about replacing your tyres.
Examine Tread Wear Patterns
Check your tread depth at the outer edge of the tyre, the centre, and the inside edge. If the measurements aren’t the same, your tyres are wearing unevenly. This can indicate over or under inflated tyres, misalignment of the wheels or that suspension components are worn. All of which pose a serious safety concern, especially in slippery conditions.
Rotate Your Tyres
Tyres on the front and rear of your vehicle perform different steering and braking functions, causing the tyres to wear differently. Rotating your tyres helps to even out tyre wear, significantly improving the safety and lifespan of your tyres.
Book in for a Wheel Alignment
Normal wear and tear from every day driving or an impact with a pothole or curb can cause your vehicle to get out of alignment. If you notice uneven wear patterns or if the car is pulling to one side, it’s a good indication you need bring your wheels back into alignment. When correcting the wheel alignment, mechanics adjust a variety of suspension components to meet the car manufacturer’s specifications.
Check Your Tyre Pressure
Tyre pressures that are too low or too high can lead to reduced traction and handling, premature tyre wear, tyre damage and an increase in fuel consumption. Above all, incorrect tyre pressure can significantly impact the safety of your vehicle. Check your tyre pressure regularly (at least once a month) to make sure they’re properly inflated. For the ultimate safety feature, consider installing a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS) – TPMS devices will alert you to drops in tyre pressure and let you know when you need to inflate your tyres, helping you stay safe by driving on tyres at the right pressure.
A Few Wet Weather Driving Tips
- If your windows fog up, use the air conditioner to dehumidify the air inside of your vehicle. Alternatively, you can open the rear windows slightly to allow air to circulate.
- Slowing down on wet roads is crucial. A wet road surface will offer the driver less grip compared to a dry road surface, braking distances can double and the ability to steer around an obstacle can be reduced.
- Keep a further distance from the vehicle in front of you. Since braking distances can be longer on wet roads, staying back will give you enough reaction time should you need to break suddenly and it will also reduce the tyre spray of the vehicle in front of you, giving you better visibility.
At Safe-T-Tyre, your safety is out number one priority and we aim to stock the best products, at the most competitive prices so you can drive with confidence, no matter the conditions. A reliable tyre pressure monitor should be part of every driver’s inventory, contact us online today or call us on 1800 876 700 to purchase yours today.