A Thin Line Between A Safe and Unsafe Tyre
A concerning trend is the increase of worn-out, unsafe tyres on our roads. Goodyear South Africa recently held a tyre safety demonstration at Zwartkops Raceway with the assistance of the Volkswagen Driving Academy.
The tyre safety demonstration was conducted by using two identical cars, driving side by side throughout the skidpan. One of the cars was fitted with new tyres and the other had illegal, worn-out tyres. The demonstration proved that unsafe tyres pose a greater risk on our roads.
“The demonstration was aimed at showing the importance of using safe tyres. Drivers are reminded to pay attention to the state of their tyres and consistenly monitor them. Worn-out tyres have an impact on the performance of a vehicle and an absolute risk on the road. These tyres increase the stopping distances, raising the risk of skidding as well as blow-outs,” said Goodyear South Africa Group Managing Director, Darren Hayes-Powell, before the demonstration started.
On both dry and wet skidpan, the unsafe, worn-out tyres underperformed and had a longer stopping distance compared to the car fitted with new tyres. With over 60% of second hand tyres in South Africa deemed illegal, road users need to understand the dangers of driving on unsafe tyres as well as worn out tyres that these are the major culprits that cause fatal consequences for road users.
As Transport Month is drawing to a close, Goodyear Managing Director warned, “Neglecting to constantly monitor the condition of your tyres could save lives and prevent road accidents. This is why it is important for drivers and vehicle owners to check the roadworthiness of their tyres. Their safety as well as that of their passengers, pedestrians and other road users depends on it. It is now time to become more observant as negligence could result in dire consequences,” concluded Hayes-Powell.
About Goodyear
Goodyear is one of the world’s largest tyre companies with operations in 22 countries around the world. Goodyear first started operating in South Africa in 1915 and currently employs approximately 2600 people. With a recently upgraded manufacturing facility in the industrial town Uitenhage in the Eastern Cape, Goodyear continues to set the industry standard for innovation amongst its counterparts.
Within South Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, the Goodyear brand is also represented by two subsidiary companies – the Hi-Q franchise, a trusted and award-winning tyre fitment centre in South Africa, as well as TrenTyre – Supported by Goodyear, the #1 Service Provider for fleets in South Africa.
For more information about Goodyear and its products, go to www.goodyear.com/corporate. You can also follow us on Twitter @GoodyearSA
