Important Tyre Care Tips For All Drivers ♥

Being the mother of two young children who is always using the car to bring them to school, outings and their various activities, the condition and safety of my car is paramount to me. All too often I've heard of accidents that have occurred, which could have easily been avoided if only the car had been given a safety check and any problems fixed before driving.

When it comes to car safety, one of the most important parts of the car that people often overlook are the tyres and it's such an oversight because I don't think people realise just how important tyres are to the correct driving function of your car.

Tyre safety should be absolutely paramount to anyone who is driving a car, after all, the tyres are the only part of the car that actually touch the road. According to the Road Safety Authority, between the years 2007 and 2012, 172 collisions stated tyre defects as a key factor leading to the collision. Some of these collisions were sadly fatal. How awful is it that something so easily fixable as investing in a new tyre, could have avoided a fatality?

Why exactly is tyre safety so important I hear you ask? Well, ultimately, the safety of everyone in your vehicle and the vehicle itself could depend directly on the condition of your tyres and considering how easy they are to look after, change and how cheap they can be to buy, there's no excuse for not having tyres that aren't in good condition.

If your tyres are old and worn (you can check this quickly by looking at the treads and how worn they are) you need to invest in new tyres ASAP. Certain road conditions can be detrimental for tyres. For example, if you have a lot of potholes in your local town and happen to accidentally drive into one (we've all done it, especially when they've filled with water after the rain), these can cause a blowout or wear your tyres down quickly. Having a flat tyre on a crowded road like Glasgow can really be an inconvenience because you won't know what to do, especially if you are getting late for work or any other commitment. There are many garages spread across different parts of UK that can help you with the right type of tyres. Same holds true for Glasgow and near by locations. So, if you live local to Glasgow, you can get tyres in Glasgow from Point S to make sure you're driving on safe tyres.

When choosing and purchasing new tyres for your vehicle, it's always important to make sure that:

• They are the right kind and size for your vehicle
• They are properly inflated and the right tyre pressure
• That they're free from defects (I would avoid buying second-hand tyres and save for brand new ones just to be 100% sure of their safety).
• Have a tread depth of at least 1.6mm

There are so many dangers associated with using and continuing to drive on sub-standard tyres, the main one being a chance of fatality as I discussed above. However, other things that you can experience if your tyres are not in the best condition are:

• Reduced road handling so you have less control of your vehicle
• Aquaplaning when your tyres lose grip in wet conditions - a very important thing to consider for those who live in places where it rains a lot
• Blow-outs which result in the loss of control of your vehicle
• Increased breaking distances due to lack of grip

Tyres are essentially the 'shoes' of your car and they should always be in good condition and be checked regularly. Check your tyres before long journeys to make sure they are safe for travel and all road conditions they may encounter.

They're one of the only areas of a car that can be easily fixed and quickly too and should be kept in the best condition possible for optimum safety for you and your family and anyone else who travels in your vehicle.