Checking your tyres is quick and simple, thanks to new GEM videos

ROAD SAFETY AND breakdown organisation GEM Motoring Assist is encouraging car owners to make monthly checks of pressures and tread on their tyres. And for anyone concerned that they may not know safe from dangerous, GEM’s recently-released short videos show just how quick and simple a tyre check can be.

GEM’s call comes at the start of Tyre Safety Month (1 October), with its key safety message urging drivers not to ignore their tyres, and to check them once a month.

GEM road safety officer Neil Worth explains why correct tyre pressure is not only vital for your safety on the road, it’s also the best way to maximise fuel economy. “We rely on our tyres to keep us safe on journeys,” he says.  “They provide the only contact between the car we’re driving and the road surface beneath. Correctly inflated tyres with good levels of tread allow all the other safety systems on a car to work at their most effective – vital in an emergency situation.

“Inadequate tread or incorrect pressure mean the safety systems on your vehicle simply will not work as efficiently. That’s why we fully support Tyre Safety Month and the call for all drivers to make monthly checks on their tyres – to ensure correct pressure and tread depth.

“If anyone’s in doubt about how to make these checks, and what to look out for, then please take a look at the short videos we published recently, one dealing with tyre pressure, the other with tyre tread. They show just how simple a task it is to make sure your tyres are in good condition, and advise on what to do if you come up against any problems.”

GEM tyre warnings:

There are heavy penalties for drivers using worn or defective tyres on their cars. Each bald or defective tyre carries a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty points.

Under-inflated tyres reduce your vehicle’s ability to grip the road, and also compromise handling. This can result in unpredictable vehicle behaviour, and increases the risk of a tyre blowout, where sudden rapid deflation occurs.

Over-inflated tyres have a smaller contact area with the road, leading to increased stopping distance and reduced grip. There’s likely to be a lot more wear across the central part of the tyre, leading to a shorter lifespan.

GEM is supporting Tyre Safety Month, which runs nationwide until 31 October 2019.

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*Article Source http://www.motoringassist.com