The festive season is one of South Africa’s busiest times on the roads, as many South Africans either head to their different home provinces or use the opportunity to get some much-needed rest at various holiday destinations.

According to Arrive Alive, South African government’s biggest road safety campaign, the failure to attend to tyre safety is a vital factor in thousands of road accidents every year. Further research by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) indicates that nearly 20% of accidents involving minibuses have tyre failure as a contributing factor.

Amaury Vadon, Vice-President and Managing Director at Michelin Sub-Saharan Africa says, “With the peak traffic season coming up, we encourage South African motorists to check their tyres before taking any long trips. Well maintained tyres have a huge impact on comfort, fuel economy and of course safety.”

Below are some tips to make sure your tyres can safely get you to your destination:

Tread depth: Always check your tyres before a long trip. Make sure your tread depth is legal, that there are no bulges or cracks, and that you have the recommended tyre pressure. Worn tyres with lower than the recommended tread depth will reduce the vehicle’s capability to brake, potentially doubling stopping distances and increasing the likelihood of an incident, especially in wet conditions. It is important for all four tyres to have a similar tread depth, as a front-rear tyre tread imbalance can also affect handling of the vehicle.

Tyre pressure: Make sure that you check your tyre pressure regularly, remember to check all tyres including the spare. Under-inflated tyres not only reduce the life span of the tyre, but also increase wear, fuel consumption, and make it difficult to handle a vehicle in motion.

Tyres that are either over or under inflated can easily lead to a tyre blow-out, particularly in hot temperatures, where the tyre punctures and effectively explodes, causing the driver to lose control of the steering wheel and the vehicle to swerve.

If you notice that one tyre has a significantly lower pressure than the others, it may be a small puncture and you should seek technical advice – Michelin has a tyer ‘dealer locator’ function on its website which will direct you to its closest partner for technical advice on your tyres in every instance.

Vadon adds “Remember, if you are carrying a full load of passengers or luggage, or towing a trailer or caravan, pressures should be increased. The manufacturer’s guidelines will include different settings for partially or fully laden vehicles.”

Visual inspection: When checking your tread depth and pressure you should also give the rest of the tyres a visual inspection. Remove any stones or other objects caught in the tread and check the whole tyre for any cuts, splits or bulges. Such damage can lead to a sudden loss of pressure in the tyre, which is potentially dangerous for you and other road users.

Wheel alignment and balancing: Before your trip, visit any of Michelin’s reputable partner tyre dealers to check that your wheels are aligned and balanced. Incorrect wheel alignment or wheel balancing can have consequences for your safety and the life of your tyres, resulting in avoidable costs.

Wheel balancing looks at the tyre and rim unit. A wheel can be out of balance when one area of the tyre or rim is heavier or lighter than the others. Imbalance in the wheel and tyre assembly can generate vibrations in the suspension and vehicle structure at specific speeds. Such vibrations can not only make your driving unpleasant, but also accelerate the wear of your tyre tread and other suspension components in the vehicle.

Unlike balancing, wheel alignment is about the vehicle suspension. Aligning your vehicle suspension means adjusting the wheel angles to the manufacturer's specifications. Wheels that are properly aligned will last you longer and use less fuel.

“As a general rule, you should be checking your tyres on a regular basis so you do not come across any surprises before that holiday you have been planning months for. Replacing tyres can be an expensive exercise but with the maintenance and driver behaviour, you can enjoy a great and safe drive across country” concludes Vadon.