Before any trip, whether long or short distance, it is always recommended that you only leave once you are sure that your vehicle is safe to drive. The mistake most people make is checking everything and just do a clear pass on the tyres. It will not take too long to make sure that the tyres are okay, and, in any case, it is all for your safety. Here’s how to assess them in three simple ways.
Tyre Age
When was the last time you checked the age of your car tyres? The surprising thing is that many car users do not even know how and where tyre ages are written. To find this, just check the side of the tyre. You will see several codes. The tyre age will probably look like a ‘4015’, meaning that it manufactured on the 40th week of 2015.
According to road safety guidelines, a car tyre should not be on the road past 10 years. However, some manufacturers will recommend that they only last for 8 years.
Check the pressure
Just like blood in the veins, air pressure is what keeps tyres in their usable state. This should be checked at least once monthly. Also, if you are about to go for a long journey, consider checking the pressure before you leave. This way, even if you come across melting roads, you will not get stuck.
Look for Worn Spots and Check Tread Depth
Using a coin, you can easily tell how deep the treads of your tyres are. If see most part of the coin out, then this might be a sign that your tyres are getting too old for the road. This means they can slide off the road easily if you drive on a rainy day on a slippery road. This is like driving a car waiting for an accident to happen.