I don't know about you, but whenever i see the husk of a blown out tyre at the side of a dual carriageway / motorway, it gives me the chills. The rubber fragments and skid marks weaving across the lanes is a firm reminder that tyre blowouts are common and extremely dangerous.
Whilst analysing almost 400,000 cars over a 21 month period, Evans Halshaw found that on average 26% of UK motorists had at least one illegal tyre. Read Evans Halshaws full findings - click here
Workers such as HGV drivers are more likely to experience a tyre blowout and although they are trained on how to recover from a blowout, tyre blowouts are extremely unpredictable and can cause even the best driver to lose control of their vehicle.
What causes a tyre blow out? I'm glad you asked
Both over and under-inflated tyres will considerably reduce the lifespan of a tyre. An overinflated tyre will wear down the tread in the centre of the tyre faster whilst an under-inflated tyre will wear down the outer edges faster, both can cause a tyre to blow out seemingly spontaneously. Keeping your tyres inflated properly will keep the air properly balanced which will reduce the likelihood of a tyre blow out.
Overloading your vehicle will cause excessive wear on the tread whilst putting the tyres under extreme pressure. Overloading your vehicle (whether you're taking turf to the recycling centre, going on holiday with the in-laws and their 4 suitcases (heaven forbid) or picking up an item from the store because you refuse to pay the £40 delivery fee) will cause it to become harder to manoeuvre / control - in the event a tyre were to blow out, the driver would most likely be unable to bring the vehicle to a safe stop due to the extra weight. The perfect excuse to never go on holiday with the in-laws.
A slow leak is more than just an annoyance, it is also a driving hazard. Slow leaks release air through the smallest of holes which weaken the tyres integrity, this will continue until the tyre inevitably and suddenly fails, the question is whether it fails whilst the vehicle is stationary or whilst driving along a dual carriageway / motorway. If you have a slow leak, take your vehicle to a garage to discuss repair or replacement.
The majority of circumstances which cause a tyre to blow out can be managed by a proper inspection and maintenance programme. There are however certain circumstances which are completely out-with the control of a maintenance programme, circumstances such as clipping a kerb, pothole or debris. When a tyre comes into contact with hard surfaces such as a kerb, it can cause the tyre's internal structure to be pinched, this will result in the tyre slowly deflating. If the tyre is hit hard enough the entire rubber structure will split causing a blow out.
Using either Good to Go Safety or TakeAIM to inspect your vehicle (whether for work or personal use) should be part of your daily routine. Never overlook the importance of checking it as it could save your life and the lives of others. Taking a few extra moments to complete some basic checks could mean the difference between making it to your destination or not.
Whilst analysing almost 400,000 cars over a 21 month period, Evans Halshaw found that on average 26% of UK motorists had at least one illegal tyre. Read Evans Halshaws full findings - click here
Workers such as HGV drivers are more likely to experience a tyre blowout and although they are trained on how to recover from a blowout, tyre blowouts are extremely unpredictable and can cause even the best driver to lose control of their vehicle.
What causes a tyre blow out? I'm glad you asked
Both over and under-inflated tyres will considerably reduce the lifespan of a tyre. An overinflated tyre will wear down the tread in the centre of the tyre faster whilst an under-inflated tyre will wear down the outer edges faster, both can cause a tyre to blow out seemingly spontaneously. Keeping your tyres inflated properly will keep the air properly balanced which will reduce the likelihood of a tyre blow out.
Overloading your vehicle will cause excessive wear on the tread whilst putting the tyres under extreme pressure. Overloading your vehicle (whether you're taking turf to the recycling centre, going on holiday with the in-laws and their 4 suitcases (heaven forbid) or picking up an item from the store because you refuse to pay the £40 delivery fee) will cause it to become harder to manoeuvre / control - in the event a tyre were to blow out, the driver would most likely be unable to bring the vehicle to a safe stop due to the extra weight. The perfect excuse to never go on holiday with the in-laws.
A slow leak is more than just an annoyance, it is also a driving hazard. Slow leaks release air through the smallest of holes which weaken the tyres integrity, this will continue until the tyre inevitably and suddenly fails, the question is whether it fails whilst the vehicle is stationary or whilst driving along a dual carriageway / motorway. If you have a slow leak, take your vehicle to a garage to discuss repair or replacement.
The majority of circumstances which cause a tyre to blow out can be managed by a proper inspection and maintenance programme. There are however certain circumstances which are completely out-with the control of a maintenance programme, circumstances such as clipping a kerb, pothole or debris. When a tyre comes into contact with hard surfaces such as a kerb, it can cause the tyre's internal structure to be pinched, this will result in the tyre slowly deflating. If the tyre is hit hard enough the entire rubber structure will split causing a blow out.
Using either Good to Go Safety or TakeAIM to inspect your vehicle (whether for work or personal use) should be part of your daily routine. Never overlook the importance of checking it as it could save your life and the lives of others. Taking a few extra moments to complete some basic checks could mean the difference between making it to your destination or not.
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