The safety risks of worn tyres

* Collaborative post

When it comes to car safety and maintenance one of the most important checks drivers should make is the condition of the vehicle’s tyres.

For safety it is imperative that tyres are checked on a regular basis, with responsible drivers checking tyre pressure, tread depth, ensuring tyres are fit for purpose and looking at overall condition of tyres to ensure there is no sign of defect or damage.

When it comes to tyre tread depth there are safety and legal consequences if tyres are worn. As the safety risks of worn tyres are an accident waiting to happen we are going to take a look at tyre tread depth and the safety risks associated with worn tyres.

7 Car tyre checks for family safety on the road

There is nothing that is more important than maintaining the safety of your car and this is especially the case when you drive around with little ones on board. All sorts of drivers neglect their cars’ safety systems imagining that they don’t need to take any action. However, when it comes to your tyres nothing could be further from the truth.

Tyres are not just there to allow your car's wheels to turn. They help you to steer into positions of safety and avoid potential trouble. Of course, another important job tyres do is to help you brake properly. They shouldn’t be overlooked as an essential part of your family’s safety. What do you need to know? Take a look below as we look at tyre safety.

Keeping safe on the road – tyre safety.

As our family is growing with the impending arrival of our second child Jelly Bean due in July we recently decided to change our car, switching from a very compact car to a slightly larger car better suited for a growing family – a Ford Focus.

Whilst our new (second hand) car is nothing fancy having learnt a lot about car safety over my 13 years of being a driver – even learning how to do a basic service myself - I am passionate about making sure cars are safe and roadworthy.

The importance of making sure our car is roadworthy and safe is even more imperative now that I am a parent, not only because our children travel in the car but also because I don’t want to put myself or Lee at extra risk as I want us to be alive and healthy for many years to come for our children.

Whilst there are many factors that affect the safety and roadworthiness of a car, one car safety factor that is often overlooked is the importance of tyres.

Put simply tyres are essential for safe driving.

Tyres are the only connection your car has to the road.

They have 4 vital functions that affect safe driving –

* Provide grip for braking and acceleration

* Maintain steering and directional control

* Act as a shock absorber for vibrations from the road

* Support the weight of the car