Time for an Easter Getaway

This weekend marks the first bank holiday weekend of the year, Easter, welcomed by many Brits as they pack their bags and grab the first opportunity for a little break in 2016. Whether you're going on a romantic weekend away, a family break or taking your caravan for its first outing this year, the condition of your tyres is just as important as ticking off those packing essentials.

For many people, this weekend will involve a long car journey to somewhere either for the day or for a few nights away from home, no matter what your plans are this weekend, before you get caught up in the excitement of getting away, don't forget the importance of checking your tyres. People are becoming more and more aware of the dangers of illegal tyres, the total number of casualties from tyre-related incidents over the last 5 years is over 5,500 of which just short of 1,000 people were killed or seriously injured*, here at Hometyre we cannot stress enough how important it is to carry out the following simple checks to ensure your tyres are safe and legal.

Firstly, check your tread depth. Your tyres will have tread wear indicators, these are located in the grooves of the surface across the central part of the tread area, they are around 10mm in length and 2mm in height, these indicators are the easiest way to assess your remaining tread. The legal limit is 1.6mm within the central ¾ of the tread in a continuous band around the tyre, therefore if any part of the tread is at the 2mm mark, it is definitely worth calling Hometyre to have us come to your home or work to change your tyre(s) before you set off.

Secondly, check your tyres for any obvious cracks, cuts or bulges. Tyres begin to crack over time due to their age, you can check a tyres age via the dot code (date stamp) on the sidewall of the tyre, this will show the week and year the tyre was made. For example, 3212 will be the 32^nd week of 2012, if your tyres are more than 5 years old they may start to show signs of deterioration despite having sufficient tread depth, this is more common in caravan or motorhome tyres.

Thirdly, check your tyre pressures. The correct pressures for your vehicle can be found in the driver's handbook and are sometimes found in the door shut or filler cap. Two pressures will be stated, one for part loaded and one for fully loaded, if you have the whole family plus your luggage, your car will be carrying a heavier load than normal, so be sure you have checked the recommended pressure for that heavier load in your car's handbook in order to make sure they perform optimally and safely. For more information on how to check your tyres please click here.

If you are still unsure or worried about the condition of your tyres, please call us on 0800 783 9310, here at Hometyre we carry out free tyre inspections and will be happy to come out to your home or work to ensure you have peace of mind that your tyres are safe and legal, so you can truly enjoy the Bank Holiday weekend.

Written by Louise Cowlishaw - Hometyre HQ

*DfT five years to 2014