Ensure top mileage

The condition of your tyres is important for driving safety. By following these five golden rules, you can ensure top mileage, safe performance and a longer useful life for your tyres.

1. Check your tyre pressures regularly. Uneven inflation between tyres affects the driving qualities of your vehicle and makes the tyres wear unevenly.

2. Rotate the positions of your tyres between the front and rear axles after every 5,000 to 10,000 kilometres (3,000 to 6,000 miles) as the tyres wear differently in different positions. Remember to check tyre pressures when changing tyres.

3. Check that you mount your tyres according to the rolling direction marking on the side of the tyre. If the tyres are mounted against their designated rolling direction, their driving qualities will not be optimal in all conditions.

4. Drive smoothly. Panic braking and side-slips shorten the useful life of tyres and this is particularly true of studded tyres.

5. Check your old tyres for uneven wear when changing tyres. Correctly mounted and carefully driven tyres wear evenly. If your tyres show uneven wear, get the driving angles of your car measured and have your tyres mounted and balanced at a professional repair shop.

Driving Tips

Driving on wet roads needs some precautions. First make sure that your tyres, brakes and wipers are in good condition. Drivers are cautioned to be extra careful especially when the first rains fall. The road at this time is covered with dust and mud, which along with rain water forms a film that reduces the grip of the tyre on the road. Your car can easily skid under such conditions. While driving through water logged areas, it is best to drive in lower gears controlling the speed with the clutch. When water enters the exhaust pipe the car's engine can stop. Keeping the accelerator pressed can prevent water from entering the exhaust. Do not change gears while driving in water logged areas. Do not drive along the side of the road as you can get stuck in an open or damaged man-hole, which may be submerged and not visible. While driving on a rainy day, the brakes get wet and have reduced braking ability. Pump the brakes frequently to dry the brake drum and the shoe, this will restore the braking ability.