Tyre Safety

Tyres should be inspected often, and the following are aspects to look for :

• One-sided wear. A regular smooth band of wear all around the tyre on the inside or the outside of the tread is a sign of incorrect camber. Too much toe-in causes irregular one-sided wear. 
• Tread-centre wear. Regular wear of this kind is normally a sign of high tyre pressure. Driving fast for long distances may cause this on low-profile tyres
• Inner- and outer-edge wear. If both inner and outer edges are worn, it usually implies that the tyres have been run at too low a pressure at normal speeds. 
• Irregular bald spotting - usually caused by worn shock absorbers, worn suspension bushes, or even loose wheel bearings. 
• As speed rises, excessive contact patch deformation leads to a wave being formed in the tread, which generates excessive heat, causing structural damage or even tyre failure. 
• Extra flexibility will affect steering behaviour, directional stability, durability and rolling resistance. 
• Even occasional low pressure driving, or periodic vehicle overloading, may cause damage that only shows up much later as a blowout. 
• Tyre pressures, including the spare, should be checked at least once a week, before the tyres have heated up, ie before 10 km have been driven, using a good pressure gauge. 
• Missing valve caps should be replaced, since they are there to prevent dirt from clogging the valves, which could cause a loss of air pressure.