As much as we enjoy winter’s festivities, there are certain things that we have to struggle with during this time of the year too. Since in the UK, the temperature can go down to -15°, snowy and damp roads become the most common concern of drivers during winters. Many roads are prepared overnight with grit salt and safety barriers (check this out here to see an example) to ensure cars slow down in icy areas. This is because they expect their tyres to perform in the same way in all seasons. However, this may not happen every time. Different tyres have been designed to perform well under different weather conditions. So, if you want your tyres to give you consistently high safety levels, make sure to perform these tyre safety checks to get safely through winters!
This is a collaborative post
Look after your tyres
For your peace of mind, don’t forget to keep a regular check on your tyres. Checking your tyres means to keep a regular check on your tyre pressure (inflate tyres according to recommended levels as mentioned in your owner’s manual), tread depth (minimum legal limit is 1.6mm) and looking out for any unnoticed tyre puncture (visual inspection will help a lot!). Another important practice is to keep a spare tyre with you so that a damaged tyre can be safely replaced if you are a long distance away from the garage. And if you want to go one step further for extra peace of mind, why not look into getting an obd reader which is a car diagnostic tool that could save you money if something goes wrong.
Switch to winter tyres
In the UK, most tyres that are fitted to cars are standard summer tyres that obviously will not perform well in the winters. In many other European countries, it is common that drivers switch to winter tyres in late autumn and then switch back to summer tyres once winter ends. However, in the UK, it is a common perception that winter tyres are required only for a snowy or icy cold season. This is not entirely true as the modern rubber compound and tread pattern offers maximum grip and high safety levels on cold and damp roads too. Additionally, winter tyres also offer a better mileage than normal tyres in winters. So why not give it a try?
Drive safe
When driving in winters, it is important to take extra caution to make sure you’re travelling safe. Always keep your windscreen, windows and lights clean and make sure that they are working properly. Do not over speed on wet or slippery roads especially during low visibility. Avoid pulling the brakes harshly and keep a safe distance between your car and the car ahead of you.
Winter weather conditions can pose a danger if you are not careful. So, make sure that you’re driving along with the right pair of tyres and following all the road safety rules. And if you are skeptical about your current tyres, get car tyres online from a huge range of tyre brands available at Dartford Tyres. It’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to tyre safety checks.
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