Car maintenance, as every motorist should know, is vitally
important to keeping your car functioning the way it’s intended to and of
course will keep it looking good and lasting longer on the road. Many motorists
however tend to neglect their vehicles and pay little attention to common maintenance
tasks that should be carried out on a regular basis. Of all the maintenance tasks
set out for a motorist, tyre maintenance is probably the most important.
Ignoring and failing to check your tyres can prove deadly
not only for yourself but for those around you. Take the story of Keith
Johnston as a warning example of how poor tyre maintenance can ruin your life.
Keith Johnston, a UK resident, is permanently paralysed from the chest down and
can barely move his neck or arms. Earlier in 2012 his Renault Scenic rolled
into a ditch and luckily his four passengers were unharmed. Upon investigation,
it was discovered that Keith bought used tyres for his car and they inevitably
played a major role in his accident and his injuries that he now has to live
with for the rest of his life.
Johnston admits that he had always bought worn or used tyres
for his car without considering the risk of doing so. Johnston said: “I thought
I was saving money with part-worn tyres but I’ve paid a terrible price.
Unfortunately for me it’s too late but I would urge other drivers to steer
clear of worn tyres - always opt for brand-new ones.”
A tyre safety campaign led by TyreSafe in the UK revealed
findings of an ongoing investigation on worn tyres carried out by Auto Express
magazine. An independent expert bought 50 used tyres and found that 98% of them
were sold illegally while a third of them displayed potentially dangerous
damage including dangerous repairs, exposed cords and run-flat damage.
Stuart Jackson, chairman for TyreSafe said, “It’s impossible
to know the history of used tyres and the true extent of any damage which may
have occurred inside the tyre. All tyres suffer from wear over time but
TyreSafe always advocates the fitting of new one as the safest option.”
Tyres are the only part of a car that has direct contact
with the road and motorists should therefore take tyre maintenance seriously to
avoid potentially fatal tyre-related accidents. Click on How to Maintain Your Tyres to read more about tyre maintenance. If you are considering fitting worn
tyres on your car, think again, re-consider and rather spend the extra money
for a new set of tyres. Going cheap can cost your life and the lives of others.
News Source: Wheels24
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