Johannesburg - With a massive increase in the price of tyres looming, Dialdirect Insurance is urging South Africans to adopt a proactive approach to tyre and rim maintenance.
While you may save a bit of money by ignoring your badly maintained tyres, it could cost you your life as worn tyres are a leading cause of car accidents in South Africa.
The Tyre Importer’s Association of South Africa has raised concern that tyre costs could skyrocket by as much as 41% if a bid by the SA Tyre Manufacturers Conference to impose additional duties on imported tyres is successful. If this bid succeeds, it will add significant pressure to consumers’ already strained pockets.
“Burst tyres are cited as the leading vehicle-related cause of accidents in South Africa, with up to 73% of vehicle failures attributed to tyres alone. According to the RTMC’s most recent annual report, a staggering number of 67 893 drivers were issued with notices for driving with worn tyres in a single year. That – counting only motorists who received notices - is nearly 200 accidents a day just waiting to happen. With this in mind and despite the added expense, taking good care of your vehicle’s tyres and rims should be non-negotiable,” says Anneli Retief, Head of Dialdirect.
While The Pothole Patrol, a partnership between the City of Johannesburg (CoJ), Discovery Insure and Dialdirect Insurance, has repaired well over 100 000 potholes since its launch in May 2021 and has made significant progress in making roads safer, motorists are urged to be vigilant.
Dialdirect provides the following tips to save your pocket and life from a tyre or rim disaster:
Tyres:
Root in research: Do thorough research when buying a new set of tyres – making sure that you find a good all-rounder tyre that offers low rolling resistance and good fuel consumption whilst still providing enough grip, aquaplaning resistance and stopping power in all weather conditions.
On spec:
Make sure that the wheels and tyres that you fit match the manufacturer’s specification, that they meet the size, speed and load ratings requirements for your vehicle and their intended use, and that tyres are properly inflated to create an adequate cushion between the vehicle’s rims and the road surface.
Proactive maintenance:
Make sure that your car is checked and serviced regularly. A vehicle that is 100% ready to light up, steer around or meet challenging road surfaces is the best first line of defence.
Profile carefully:
Low profile tyres may give a vehicle a sportier look but reduce the space between the rim and the road surface. Fit tyres that are in the “Goldilocks zone” between being sporty, offering comfort and protecting against rough road surfaces. Ideally, opt for tyres with rim protectors.
Fill-up check:
When you fill-up with fuel, check the inflation pressure in all your tyres with a reliable pressure gauge. Don’t simply rely on “eying it”, as tyres that are well below recommended pressures could still appear sufficiently inflated.
Cold is cool:
Only check tyre pressure when the tyres are cold. If you deflate a hot tyre to the recommended pressure, it may become under-inflated, leading to a heat build-up and increasing the risk of a blow-out.
Wary of wear:
If a tyre is wearing more in the middle than on the shoulders, it's probably over-inflated. If it's wearing more on the shoulders, then it's likely to be under-inflated. Uneven wear may also indicate a worn steering or suspension component, an over or under-inflated tyre or bad wheel alignment and / or balancing.
Eye on trends:
Look out for unusual trends. For instance, if a tyre loses pressure faster than the others, it could be a slow puncture that can lead to a blow-out.
Cap it:
Always check that all valves on your vehicle’s tyres have valve caps, as they prevent small objects from getting into the valve and causing a leak.
Emergency kit:
Make sure that your vehicle is equipped with the basic wheel-changing tools and safety equipment.
Wheels:
Keep it tight: Ensure that all the wheels are securely fastened and that the correct specification and quality of nuts and bolts are used. Make sure to check every nut and bolt, as a single failure could lead to increased wear or failure of the entire system. Beware of over tightening these parts, as this, too, could lead to thread failure and disaster.
Rim right: Make sure that the rims fit the specification for your car and that you have suitable tyres fitted for the specific size of rim. Ensure that rims aren’t cracked or bent. Even minor defects could lead to anything from insufficient sealing between the tyre and rim, and a loss of tyre pressure, to catastrophic failure of the rim itself.
Look for a leak: The wheel itself must be checked inside and out for things like grease, oil or brake fluid leaking, which could indicate a problem with the wheel bearing, brakes or CV joint.
Balance act: Make sure to have the wheel balancing and alignment checked. Misaligned and improperly balanced wheels could cause anything from an increase in fuel consumption to uneven tyre wear and blow-outs.
“Given the current state of our roads, it’s also vital to make sure that you have vehicle insurance – including tyre and rim cover – in place,” Retief concludes.