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<\/p>\nRoad safety and breakdown organisation GEM Motoring Assist is encouraging car owners to make monthly checks of air pressure, condition and tread on their tyres.<\/p>\n
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GEM\u2019s call comes at the start of the UK’s Tyre Safety Month (October), with its key safety message urging drivers not to ignore their tyres, and to check them once a month.<\/p>\n
Its chief executive Neil Worth explains: \u201cCorrectly inflated tyres with good levels of tread allow all the other safety systems on a car to work effectively. In a sudden emergency this could be significant in determining the outcome and protecting those involved.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnder-inflated tyres reduce your vehicle\u2019s ability to grip the road, and also compromise handling. This can result in unpredictable vehicle behaviour, and increases the risk of a tyre blowout, where sudden rapid deflation occurs.<\/p>\n
\u201cOver-inflated tyres have a smaller contact area with the road, leading to increased stopping distance and reduced grip. There\u2019s likely to be a lot more wear across the central part of the tyre, leading to a shorter lifespan.<\/p>\n
\u201cSo please don\u2019t ignore your tyres. Check air pressure, condition and tread depth on a monthly basis.\u201d<\/p>\n
Use an accurate gauge to check that the air pressure is at recommended settings. Check the vehicles owner\u2019s handbook if you\u2019re not sure.<\/p>\n
Check to ensure your tyres are in good condition. Lumps, bulges, cuts or cracks indicate damage to a tyre – and increase the risk of its failing in a critical situation.<\/p>\n
Use an accurate gauge to ensure tread depth is above the minimum legal limit of 1.6mm. If you don\u2019t have an accurate tread depth gauge, a \u20ac1 coin can be used as a guide to how close your tread is to the limit.<\/p>\n
In Ireland, if you are convicted of the offence of driving with dangerous tyres, you could be fined up to \u20ac2,500, or receive a 3-month prison sentence, or both.<\/p>\n
You will also have five penalty points on your licence on conviction.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Road safety and breakdown organisation GEM Motoring Assist is encouraging car owners to make monthly checks of air pressure, condition and tread on their tyres.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":27956,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27955","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n