Tread safely this summer! Bridgestone stresses the importance of properly maintained tyres to ensure safety

To ensure road accidents are avoided this summer, Bridgestone Middle East and Africa FZE cautions regional motorists about the dangers of improperly maintained tyres. Driving with worn-out or damaged tyres or with incorrect air pressure has serious safety implications for drivers and passengers and can put lives at risk.

Bridgestone is committed to making the region’s roads a safer place by educating drivers about tyre safety and encouraging them to develop the habit of regularly checking their tyres.

The sandy conditions and the rising temperatures all play a role in giving tyres and cars – as well as their drivers – a challenging time. By following the below tyre care tips, and conducting simple regular checks, drivers will not just save time and money, but more importantly, stay safe on the road.

Do a daily check

- Check that all tyres have appropriate inflation pressure

- Check the sidewalls for cracks or unusual bulges

- Check for and remove any foreign objects (e.g. stones or nails) that could puncture your tyre

Do a Monthly Tyre Pressure Check

- Use a proper tyre gauge to measure tyre pressure

- Your vehicle tyre pressure information can usually be found on the driver's door frame or in your owner’s handbook

- Check pressure and inflate only when the tyres are cold (a hot tyre will show inaccurate reading due to inflation)

- It takes at least a couple of hours for a tyre to cool down so it's best to check tyre pressure in the morning

- Don't forget to also inflate your spare tyre

Check for Irregular Wear

This is when one section of the tyre is more worn than the rest and occurs when:

- Tyres are not inflated appropriately

- Tyres are not balanced

- Wheels are out of alignment 

Rotate Tyres Every 10,000km

- Visit a reputable tyre shop or garage for tyre rotation

- Check your owner's handbook for rotating sequence

- Have your tyres balanced at the same time

Check the Tread Depth Indicator

-  All tyres come with a tread depth indicator.

- When the indicator is flushed with the rest of the tread (usually about 1.6mm), it is time to change the tyre

Check the Wheel Alignment

- Misaligned wheels cause tyres to wear more quickly and irregularly, and prevent the vehicle from running or braking in a straight line. The suspension and steering components will also be subjected to extra stress

- It is a good idea to have your wheels aligned by a computerised alignment machine. A reputable workshop should have the wheel alignment specifications of your vehicle model

As part of its on-going efforts to make roads a safer place, Bridgestone also recently concluded its second Safety Station campaign in the UAE and the Tyre Safety and Eco Station (TSES) road show in Bahrain. The campaign was developed by Bridgestone Middle East & Africa FZE as part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives and has been educating motorists across the GCC and North Africa for the last five years.