Sudden
tyre bursts or tyre blowouts are one of the primary reasons for highway
accidents. No person wants to get caught in the middle of a heavy blowout that
completely disorients the vehicle and imposes the risk of a flip-over. Further,
if the blowout happens at high speed, the risk of serious impact collisions
also increases. Now, there is no sure way of completely avoiding the blowouts,
but you can adopt some preventive measures to lower the odds of a tyre burst.
Additionally, if you live around poor road conditions, consider buying run-flat
tyres with reinforced sidewalls for an added layer of protection against ugly
bursts.
Tyre
bursts are mostly caused due to negligence and carelessness. If you are regular
with your tyre assessment and maintenance, you will lower the chances of such
accidents. Read about simple routine tyre assessments and perform them weekly
on your tyres if you drive long kilometres. Also, always keep a good quality
spare tyre in your boot space because flat tyres cannot be repaired but only be
replaced. Here is an article on some simple extra tips which can help you
reduce the chances of tyre blowout if you follow them.
Proper Inflation is
crucial
Underinflated Goodyear
Tyres have reduced pliability, and they undergo greater stress on the
road and get heated up. The increased temperature causes the air to expand and
exert pressure on the outer walls. When the air expansion goes out of control,
the outer walls give up, and the tyres burst. This mostly happens at high speed
because then the tyres experience an added pressure and frictional force, which
increases the temperature exponentially.
Therefore,
keep a regular check on the tyre pressure, and take a thorough reading if you
are hitting the road for a long ride. Buy a premium quality pressure gauge to
get a thorough reading. Do not rely on the pressure monitoring system because
the vehicle engages it only when the tyre pressure is critically low.
Inspect your tyre
regularly
Keep
a routine record of your tyre’s condition and keep a special check on the
sidewalls. Sidewalls are responsible for dispersing the pressure and
maintaining the vehicle’s form at high speeds. Unfortunately, these sidewalls
get damaged due to kerbs, patches and potholes present on the road, and they
get weak without you realising it. If there are cuts, cracks or bulges on the
sidewalls, it is bad news, and you should consider going for replacement before
hitting the highway.
Keep well within the
tyre’s speed rating
A
tyre’s speed rating is mentioned on the sidewalls, and it is not the same for
every tyre. So ensure that the tyre you buy has a higher speed rating than your
average highway speed. Now, when on the highway, do not try to reach the tyre’s
speed rating. Instead, keep your speed within limits; this will help maintain
the tyre’s temperature at high speeds.
Take occasional breaks
during long rides
Continuous
traction and road contact raise the tyre’s temperature and increase the risk of
a blowout. Taking a break every 90-120 minutes will help the driver stretch and
give the vehicle a chance to cool down. The clutch, engine and Cheap
Tyres Tamworth will get a chance to regulate their temperature, which
will help prevent overheating.
Avoid speeding on
concrete
If
you come across a concrete patch, lower your speed. Concrete has a higher
friction coefficient and offers higher resistance than the usual road.
Therefore, the risk of tyres overheating increases. Speed is directly
proportional to the frictional force acting on the tyres; hence, keep within
the doable limits for your safety.
Do not breach the load
rating
A
tyre’s load rating is also mentioned in the owner’s manual. Do not overload
your vehicle because then the pressure experienced by the tyres increases
exponentially. Continuous high pressure will increase the chances of a blowout.