Maintain your tyres for safety during UAE summer

A tread depth gauge helps to check the service life of the tyres

Abu Dhabi - While tyres are checked upon the yearly re-registration of vehicles for the wear and tear, drivers must also do regular checks.

Traffic authorities in Abu Dhabi has urged motorists to check their vehicle tyres regularly to avoid driving on worn-out ones to prevent crashes during the hot months.
Brigadier Khalifa Mohammad Al Khaili, director-general of Traffic and Patrols Directorate in Abu Dhabi Police has warned about tyre bursts due to old worn-out tyres. Police figures have revealed last year figures that 28 accidents occurred due to tyre bursts has caused death of 14 people and seven serious injuries.
"Drivers should check the condition of tyres, before embarking on long journeys or driving on highways," said Al Khaili. "Motorists should use good quality tyres to avoid accidents especially during the hot weather." The police said tyres unfit for use on the roads are the prime cause of car overturning.
Thomas Edelmann, founder of roadsafetyuae.com, said that about five per cent of all road fatalities happening per year in the UAE is due to tyre bursts. "Tyre burst is attributable to poor tire maintenance and lack of 'pre-drive vehicle checks," he said.
"In the hot season, motorists must periodically - or ideally every time before we start our trip - quickly walk around our vehicles and check their safety worthiness, especially with regards to the proper condition of the tires. Just a few days ago, we witnessed a tragic accident killing four people and injuring two due to poorly fixed tires."
While tyres are checked upon the yearly re-registration of vehicles for the wear and tear, drivers must also do regular checks.
"Exploding tyres pose a big threat as steering may become uncontrollable, especially when the burst occurs on the frontal tyres," said Eldermann. "Add that to the sudden shock of the driver who might take abrupt action. In addition, tyre debris on the roads also pose danger to all other vehicles around."
He noted that all vehicle tyres must be procured, fitted and maintained properly, considering the taxing climate of the UAE. "Heat plays an important contributor to burst tyres and we see numbers spike in the hot months of the year. Regularly check the state of all four tyres at the same time for signs of obvious or abnormal wear and tear," said Eldermann.
Replacement of tyres
Yusuf Kiyengo, service supervisor and tyre consultant at Michelin Central Motors and Equipment in Musaffah Industrial Area, said the maximum recommended usage of tyres is 50,000km.
A tread depth gauge helps to check the service life of the tyres, available at any tyre specialist, or the user can rely on the wear indicators that most tyres have. "Check the pressure of tyres at least once in two weeks as poorly inflated tires affect the overall performance of the vehicle, including braking distance, handling, safety and fuel consumption," he said.
Rotate regularly
Drivers need to rotate the tyres in accordance with the vehicle manufacturer's recommendation. "It is good to switch front tyres to rear after about 5,000 km. With this, the wear is optimised over the four tires as front tyres are used much more than the rear ones," he said. "We always offer this service free of charge to customers maintaining their vehicles at our workshop or those who bought tyres from our shops."
ismail@khaleejtimes.com