With Christmas around the corner, South Africans are eagerly preparing for the summer holidays.<\/p>\n
Booking holidays and preparing travel itineraries have become high priorities for so many; however, for those planning to travel long distances by car, tyre safety should take top spot on your holiday checklists.<\/p>
According to Arrive Alive statistics, tyre bursts and poor maintenance account for almost 64 per cent of road accidents.<\/p>\n
Luc Fayolle, marketing manager at Michelin South Africa, said: \u201cWhen it comes to your safety and driving pleasure, your tyres are critical.<\/p>
\u201cTo get the most out of your tyres in terms of maximum mileage and safety, you\u2019ll need to maintain them properly.<\/p>\n
\u201cSomething else to keep in mind is that insurance companies will not pay out any claims if tyres are deemed unroadworthy, regardless if the accident was as a result of the tyres or not.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Keep these important numbers for the Primrose sectors handy<\/a><\/p>\n Youth desk and police address safety issues in Primrose Sector One<\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Your tyre safety depends on you, the driver, and Fayolle offers the following advice for safe and pleasurable driving during your summer holidays:<\/p>\n \u2022 Pack for safety:<\/p>\n Before embarking on your journey, check that you have a spare tyre in your boot and ensure this tyre is pumped to the correct air pressure and is not punctured.<\/p>\n Keep in mind that most spare tyres were not made to go more than 80km per hour and not further than a 100km.<\/p>\n Double check that you have the correct tools needed to change a tyre if necessary, such as a jack and a lug wrench.<\/p>\n Depending on your vehicle make and tyres you may also need a wheel lock, extension bars for lowering the spare tyre and alignment studs.<\/p>\n \u2022 Tyre pressure:<\/p>\n Tyres have been known to lose up to 0.06 BAR (the unit metric used to determine pressure) every month, so check all tyres, including your spare, once a month or before a long trip.<\/p>\n Tyre pressures should be checked when the tyres are cold so this should be done either before you\u2019ve driven, have driven a maximum of 3km or at least three hours after you\u2019ve driven.<\/p>\n Refer to your owner\u2019s manual for the correct air pressure for your tyres and remember these pressures might differ when pulling or carrying a load.<\/p>\n \u2022 Tyre rotation:<\/p>\n Regular rotation helps to extend the life of your tyres and to improve performance.<\/p>\n Tyres should be rotated every six months or every 8 000 to 10 000 kilometres.<\/p>\n Visit your local tyre fitment centre and rotate your tyres as part of your holiday preparation to ensure they are safe for the journey ahead.<\/p>\n \u2022 Replacing tyres:<\/p>\n Tyres should be replaced every five to seven years, depending on how much you drive.<\/p>\n Special care needs to be taken to replace caravan and trailer tyres regularly as well, even if they are only used once or twice a year and whether they appear to be damaged or not.<\/p>\n When replacing your tyres, ensure your new tyres are the same size and type as your current tyres. New tyres will provide better wet grip than worn tyres.<\/p>\n \u2022 Visual inspection:<\/p>\n The depth of tread on your tyres is very important for the safety of your vehicle.<\/p>\n Driving with a low tread depth increases the potential for tyre failure, while a tyre with a higher tread depth provides optimum grip on the road.<\/p>\n The legal minimum tread depth in South Africa is 1.6mm.<\/p>\n Check the remaining depth in several places across and around the tyre. In addition, tyres also have tread wear indicators moulded into the base of the main grooves.<\/p>\n When the tread surface is worn to the same level as these indicators, the tyre is at the legal limit and should be replaced to ensure safe diving.<\/p>\n If you are unsure about the tread on your tyres and feel they might be unsafe for driving long distances, have them checked by a tyre specialist.<\/p>\n \u201cBy doing a visual inspection of your tyres before planning long road trips or destination holidays, you could ensure the safety of you and your family.<\/p>\n \u201cWhen planning your holiday, plan for safety on the road, responsible easy driving and lots of fun,\u201d said Fayolle.<\/p>\n Have a story?<\/strong><\/p>\n Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor)\u00a0<\/span>germistoncitynews@caxton.co.za<\/a><\/strong>or Leigh Hodgson (journalist)\u00a0<\/span>leighh@caxton.co.za.<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:<\/p>\n Facebook<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Twitter<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Instagram<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n YouTube\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n Or add the GCN on\u00a0<\/b><\/span>WhatsApp 079 406 1181<\/strong>\u00a0<\/span>or\u00a0BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137)<\/strong>\u00a0<\/b><\/span>today, to get all the latest news.<\/p>\n Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers\u00a0<\/span>Bedfordview Edenvale News<\/a><\/strong>,\u00a0<\/span>Alberton Record<\/a><\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0<\/span>Kempton Express<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>\n