Your tyres should always be inflated to the correct pressure, and that doesn’t mean just pumping them until they’re ready to burst. Over inflated tyres are just as bad as under inflated. Tyres at the correct pressure will not only save you money at the pump, but they’re also safer for you and other road users.
Your tyres are the only thing that’s keeping your vehicle gripped to the road, and at any one time, the area of contact is only about the size of a postcard! So it’s very important to have the correct pressure in your tyres.
A recent AA survey found that almost half of all cars undergoing their warrant of Fitness had under inflated tyres. This equates to a massive amount of money at the fuel pump, as fuel efficiency drops significantly with every psi level.
Under or over inflated tyres will lead to:
Reduced fuel efficiency
Under inflated tyres have a higher resistance rate, meaning they need more energy to turn. More energy means more fuel, and more fuel means more money.
Higher likelihood of an accident
Vehicle handling, cornering, acceleration, braking and wet grip are all impaired if tyres are not inflated to the correct pressure. Over-inflated tyres are more likely to suffer from a blowout, which at high speeds could kill someone.
More wear and tear
When a tyre is under-inflated, its contact patch with the road surface is concentrated towards the two outer edges of the tread. This leads to rapid wear on the shoulders and reduces the tyres life considerably.
Longer to stop
Overinflated tyres wear unevenly, having less grip on the road and can affect braking ability, taking longer to stop in an emergency.
If you have any questions about the pressure in your tyres, or you’d like to pop in and have us check them, come on down! Our friendly mechanics will be only too happy to help.