Tyre Information

• Good tyres are essential for driving

• They’re your only contact with the road and affect steering, braking and acceleration

• The size of the average contact patch a tyre makes with the road surface is no bigger than a footprint

• Correctly adjusted tyres – with the right balance and the right pressure – not only affect safety, but can make your journey much more comfortable

• Wrong tyre pressure – high or low – will cause rapid wear

• Under-inflated tyres will increase fuel consumption

• Over inflated tyres will reduce grip and give an uncomfortable ride

• Check tyre pressure every two weeks

• Check your tyres when they are cold. Even a short journey can warm up tyres and raise the pressure

• Reliable tyre pressure gauges are not expensive

• Every new car tyre must meet European standards for speed and durability and be marked on the side wall with E or e

• The grip of a tyre in wet weather reduces as the tyre wears

• Reduced speeds in wet conditions improve the grip

• There are many dangers in buying part-worn or second-hand tyres. Their history is unknown and their apparent normal looks could hide dangerous faults resulting from previous accident damage or poor repairs

• It is illegal and very dangerous to mix radial ply and cross ply tyres on the same axle

• It is illegal to have radial tyres on the front and cross-ply tyres on the back — whether front or rear wheel drive vehicles

• It is an offence to use a tyre that has visible defects such as bald patches, exposed ply or cord, cuts, tears and bulges

• Your tyres must be suitable for the vehicle you’re driving

• Use any kind of faulty tyre and face fines and up to three penalty points per tyre