For many of us, the festive period means travelling up and down the country to visit loved ones. The cold and unpredictable weather makes car, and tyre checks more important than ever to ensure a safe and comfortable drive, for you, your passengers and others on the road.
So, if you’re getting behind the wheel over the festive period, the experts from leading mid-range tyre manufacturer, Davanti Tyres, have shared their top tips to help make driving safe and stress-free.
1. Keep Changes in Temperature in Mind
Drops in temperature can affect tyre pressure. For every 10°C rise or fall in temperature, it affects a tyre’s pressure by between 1 and 2 PSI.
As we embrace colder, winter months, we recommend drivers check their tyre pressure once a month as standard, either using an at-home digital tyre inflator, or alternatively, most petrol stations offer the service for a small fee.
2. Check For Damage
Visible tyre checks become even more important as winter brings increased risk. Look out for any deformations, cuts, bumps, bulges and check any you find with a tyre professional to be on the safe side.
3. The 20p Piece Trick to Check Your Tread Depth
Driving on icy or snowy roads without sufficiently deep tread puts you, your passengers and other motorists on the road in danger. Having the legal depth of tread, which is 1.6mm in the UK, improves grip, handling, and most importantly, safety.
The 20p test is a simple, quick and easy way of checking your tyre tread. Just take a 20p coin and insert it into the tread grooves on the tyre. If you can’t see the outer band of the coin, your tyres are above the legal limit.
4. Don’t Overload Your Car
It can be tricky to avoid driving with a heavy load over the festive period. If you’re planning to travel with a full car, passengers, luggage, presents and food – your tyres will be working harder than usual.
Your tyres must be able to support the total weight of the vehicle while withstanding deformations, speed and heat build-up. Excessive heat can cause tread separation and sidewall damage.
If you do need to carry a heavier load than normal, adjust your tyre pressure accordingly. The correct levels can be found in your car’s documentation.
If you’re heading out on any festive journeys, make sure you take the time to check your tyre health as part of any preparation. For extra peace of mind, especially if you’re due to spend a lot of time on the road this Christmas, it may be worth considering an all-season tyre which is built for year-round performance, eliminating the need to change tyres between seasons. The likes of Davanti Tyres’ all-season passenger car tyre, the Alltoura 4-Seasons, performs optimally in temperate climates like the UK, offering superior control in dry braking and wet handling, while helping to prevent aquaplaning.
