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As another year draws to a close, many take the opportunity to hit the road and explore with loved ones over the next few weeks. In preparation, you should make sure your car’s tires are safe for the road ahead, wear seat belts, avoid fatigue and cell phone use, and don’t drive too fast.
As one of the leading rubber manufacturers in South Africa, Sumitomo Rubber South Africa (SRSA) takes the safety of our customers very seriously. We understand that families trust us in our factories and with their loved ones on the road, so safety is part of our DNA and central to everything we do – from manufacturing our products to delivering them and ensuring their safe use on the road.
Consumers keep tire safety top of mind, especially during peak road trips like the holiday season, when high traffic volumes and increased driver error mean tires have to do more to keep them safe.
Why is tire safety important?
Your tires are the only part of your vehicle that directly meets the surface of the road. In an emergency, the tires must have enough friction to stop.
If your tires are worn or damaged, this can reduce their grip, causing the vehicle to fail to stop in time or the car becoming submerged in wet weather. Not the kind of experience you want to have when traveling with your most precious cargo – your loved ones.
Darren Chetty, Group Director: Sales, Marketing, Operations and Technical at Sumitomo Tires South Africa
At SRSA, we strive to provide tire products with an emphasis on customer safety and comfort while pursuing high product quality and economy. Through ongoing research, development and active testing, we work to ensure that the newest, most ground-breaking innovations are incorporated into our product designs, resulting in the performance, safety and longevity of our tires.
Our #SaferthanSafe initiative is the vehicle that SRSA uses to raise awareness, train and educate about the importance of safer tires and our partnership to prevent the use of dangerous second-hand tires on our roads.
We believe this holiday can be #safe if you keep some important things in mind before you hit the road.
- Before you jump in the car for the end-of-the-year holiday, take 5 minutes to walk around the vehicle. Do this a few days before you leave so you have enough time to spare to make any changes to your tires.
- Inspect tires (including spares) for uneven tire wear or seek the assistance of a professional tire technician. Make sure the tires have enough travel for the road ahead. Any tires that are bald, inflated or deflated can be dangerous.
Fast Fact: Dunlop tires have tread wear indicators built into the tread grooves of the tire at 1.6mm to indicate when they are worn. Tread is the rubber on the tire that touches the surface of the road. The legal limit of a tire tread groove shall not be less than 1mm at any point. In most cases, tires are manufactured with rubber wear indicators made in the grooves of tires made in 1.6 mm. When the indicators of tread wear are attached to the level, then the tire must be replaced. Any tire with a tread depth of less than 1.6mm lacks grip, and increases braking distance and impairs vehicle handling. These tires are unsafe to drive on and must be replaced.
- Before starting a long trip, make sure all your vehicles – including trailers and passengers – are roadworthy and have been properly inspected. Book any service or maintenance before your trip.
- Make sure you have all the necessary tools to change a tire if necessary, including the red warning triangle. This includes equipment that will change tires on any vehicle you are towing.
- Check your tire pressure regularly before, during and after your trip, preferably when your tires are cold, such as in the morning. You can find the optimum tire pressure for your vehicle in your car manual or on the information label on the driver’s door.
- Be careful and don’t go too fast. Keep your eyes on the road.
- If your tires have been involved in an accident on the road, check your tire pressure and signs of dents and tears immediately.
- Have your tires rotated at least every 8,000 km or at least once a year.
- Do not overload your tires – check the bearing capacity of each tire’s sidewall.
- Don’t rush to have enough reaction time to avoid people, pits or other hazards.
- To reduce the cost of replacing tires that are irreparably damaged, take out tire covers such as Dunlop Sur, which includes services that provide peace of mind when buying tires from Dunlop’s own network of stores (Dunlop Zone, Dunlop Commercial, Dunlop Express and Dunlop Container).
- Check brakes, windscreen wipers, lights and indicator functions regularly.
If you are unsure about the health of your tires or have recently been involved in a road accident, visit your local Dunlop store as your specialist tire retailer to help you assess your tyres.
If you’re planning on taking any road trips this holiday season, please stay #SaferThanSafe!
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