Tyre hazards on residential roads
We ask a lot of our vehicle tyres. They need to be robust enough to cope with heavy loads, but they also need to have enough ‘give’ to provide us with a smooth driving experience. And they need to be able to adapt seamlessly to all types of road and weather conditions, without splitting, breaking or cracking.
Depending on your vehicle and the way you use it, your tyres might also have to cope with extreme and punishing conditions during the course of their lifetime. Off-roading, dirt tracks and pounding up and down the country’s motorways all take their toll. But it may surprise you to learn that even residential streets can place a severe strain on your tyres too.
When we’re driving only quite short distances, such as on the school run, for example, or taking a quick trip to the shops, it would be reasonable to assume that our vehicle tyres aren’t under any threat. But you’d actually be surprised to discover the range of hazards that exist on residential roads, any of which can affect their useful life.
Emergency braking is one of the worst culprits, particularly if your vehicle doesn’t have ABS. Forcing the tyres to stop turning when driving at speed, causes extreme stress to the tyre’s surface, increasing the likelihood of damage. And once a tyre has worn badly, it becomes unstable and therefore unsafe to use. Weakened and damaged tyres are much more likely to experience a blowout, which could compromise not only your own safety, but that of your passengers as well as other road users.
When you’re driving on a residential road, the chances are that you’ll find cars parked up on one, or both, sides of the street. Children or pets could appear at any time from between these cars, leaving you little time to react to prevent an accident. But these aren’t the only hazards to watch out for. Cyclists and pedestrians can also be unpredictable, causing drivers to take evasive action, which could impact upon the integrity of their tyres.
But one of the biggest of all tyre hazards for drivers on residential roads is the dreaded pothole. Hitting one of these, even at quite low speeds, can damage not just your tyres but the wheel of your vehicle too, depending on the speed at which you’re travelling, as well as the depth of the pothole. And the damage may not always be obvious to the driver, right up until the tyre actually gives out.
Did you know?
Protyre offer free tyre checks at all garages within our UK network. Click the button below to book online, or alternatively, give your local protyre garage a call and book you vehicle in over the phone.
That’s why it’s important to get your tyres checked to make sure that they’re still fit for purpose. So why not book in for a tyre check at Protyre? It’s completely free and our tyre professionals will give you an honest evaluation of your current tyres’ condition.
If you need to make any changes, we can steer you in the right direction with a huge range of options covering all of the premium brands, such as Pirelli, as well as a selection of mid-range and budget tyres.