Tips for tyre safety

Tyres are round and black, and that’s about everything most people want to know.

When it comes time for replacements, those same people generally go for the cheapest deal.

But tyres are the only things that keep you safe on the road, because the four contact patches (each about the same size as the palm of your hand) are car’s only connection with the blacktop.

Australian research shows worrying trends in tyre maintenance, partly linked to the death of the old-fashioned service station where a tyre-pressure check was part of every fill-up.

Research company IMRAS says the people least likely to make regular tyre checks are those with new cars, people who drive less than 10,000km per year, people in NSW, and women.

On the flipside, the people more likely to check their tyres are older drivers, blue-collar workers, country drivers, owners of diesel cars, Queenslanders, and men.

In the UK, research earlier this year showed nearly 75 per cent of millennials cannot change a flat tyre. It’s likely to be a similar story in Australia.

To put things into perspective, and emphasise the need for some basic tyre maintenance, here are a few fast facts:

The left-front tyre is most likely to be damaged on the road, followed by the left-rear during parking, which is why regular rotation is to even the wear across all four tyres – and the spare.

Age can be as dangerous as wear. Tyres on vehicles that are over five years old (the tyres not the car!) should be checked and those over 10 years old should be replaced. Check the age using the number code next to the DOT label on a tyre; 2618 shows the tyre was made in the 26th week of 2018.

Keeping the wheels correctly aligned saves money. A tiny one-degree misalignment means a tyre is dragged 17 metres sideways for every kilometre travelled, increasing wear and cutting fuel economy.

Heat and humidity hurts tyres, so drivers in tropical areas should check regularly for cracking in the sidewalls.

Tyre pressures need to be adjusted for conditions, load and speed. That means boosting pressures by 1-2 PSI for a highway trip or towing a caravan. For 4x4 owners, it’s vital to re-inflate tyres after driving in sand or mud.

Checking tyre pressures is an ideal time for a bit of minor maintenance, from checking the lights are all working to dipping the oil and ensuring the coolant (new cars have yellow plastic covers on the under-bonnet essentials) is topped up.