Festive-season tyre safety tips

Start rolling with our festive-season tyre safety tips 

Everyone’s preparing for a well-deserved break as we head into the final stretch of 2019. Whether you’re planning a staycation, going bundu bashing or heading to our beautiful coastline, it’s vital to ensure that your tyres are ready to take on any distance and terrain. 

We often forget that when we’re driving, our tyres are the only vehicle parts in contact with the road. Michelin is serious about road safety and wants to ensure your safe arrival at your holiday destination. We’ve compiled a list of tyre safety tips to help you prepare your tyres for the journey ahead.

Tread any weather 

It’s easier to lose control when you’re driving with worn tyres, especially in the wet weather conditions usually experienced during South Africa’s summers. While it might have become a habit to check your tyre pressure every time you fill up, it’s crucial to measure their tread depth regularly too – tread depth of less than 1.6mm is illegal and unsafe. The reason you need this amount of tread is to enhance the traction of the tyres, to help with water evacuation and to reduce your braking distance. 

Under pressure

Tyre pressure is one of the most overlooked tyre safety checks. Manufacturer tyre pressure recommendations are usually indicated on the inside of the driver’s door or on the fuel cap. It’s important to check your tyre pressure when the tyres are cold. When you have driven further than 3km, the temperature inside your tyre would have already changed, increasing the pressure and preventing you from logging an accurate pressure reading. 

Trust the professionals

You don’t have to leave your tyres to chance. Get your tyres checked by an expert before you drive off on holiday – even if they still have sufficient tread. Sidewall damage, cuts and slow punctures can sometimes be difficult to spot. Michelin is offering free tyre checks at our accredited dealers nationwide during the festive season. Find a Michelin dealer near you. 

We recently joined the team on SABC3’s Expresso Morning Show to discuss our commitment to keeping you safe on the roads this festive season. In case you missed it, you can watch a recap of our insert:

For more holiday safety tips, you can also read our blog or download this safety checklist.