Johannesburg - With school holidays here, South African families are taking to the roads. Whether heading to the coast, or into the mountains, being aware of road safety and making sure your vehicle - and most importantly, your tyres, are up for the trip - should be on the checklist.
“The first line of safety on the road is your vehicle’s tyres,” says Yvette Govender of Sumitomo Rubber South Africa, manufacturer of Dunlop tyres. “They're the only part of your car that touches the road. Many accidents happen as a result of worn or damaged tyres; in South Africa it is illegal for tyres to have less than 1mm of tread. Dunlop tyres have a built-in tread depth indicator at 1.6mm, giving motorists ample warning when it is time to replace their vehicle’s tyres.”
Driving on tyres like these puts you and your familiy at risk.
To help travellers ensure that their tyres are well maintained and road trip ready, Dunlop has created seven Tyre Tips instructional videos. The video animations are short and informative and aim to help consumers understand just how important tyres are, creating awareness and education around a variety of tyre-related topics.
The first video in the series, “Every mark tells a story” explains the details listed on the side wall of a tyre, and this is followed by an explanation of tread depth indicators, the importance of wheel alignment on “Being Smooth” and wheel balancing covered on “Bad vibes”. “Why tyre rotation is a cool move” is up next and followed by “Air conditioning” which explains the importance of air pressure and correct tyre inflation.
The “How to change a flat tyre” video should be watched by the whole family, says Govender - with practice sessions to ensure that a quick and safe road side tyre change is possible when necessary.