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No one is a completely perfect driver and that’s ok! The best ones are those who will drive with care and always recognise that there is room for improvement when it comes to their driving habits. One way to get a good understanding of the type of driver you are is by looking at tyre wear. None of us want to be buying tyres more frequently than we have to and although regular servicing and maintenance should help you identify any issues before they become problematic, it’s worth checking tread wear and tyre pressure once a month to be on the safe side. If you can reduce the wear on your tyres, you will ensure they last longer and save yourself money over the long term. Want to know how to do that? In this article, we are going to list a few of the bad habits that impact tyre wear and that can help you improve your driving skills and increase safety while out on the roads.
When you’re driving over an unpaved surface, dirt, grass fields, or gravel it’s best to slow things down and proceed with caution. If it feels particularly bumpy, slow down further. The same goes for speed bumps, they have been designed to reduce speed in built-up areas so make sure you reduce your speed when driving over them!
If you happen to notice that the outside edges of your tyres seem to be wearing faster than the inside, this is a tell-tale sign that your tyres are underinflated. When your tyres are underinflated, this causes undue stress on the sidewalls and results in cracking and bulging, which is unsafe for you the driver and other road users. Overinflated tyres can also be a problem as it causes centre tread wear. When the tyres are overinflated, you are essentially making the shape of the surface in contact with the road more round, causing the vehicle to only sit on the centre part of your tyre. Tyre pressure is something many motorists brush off, but when you consider how it can impact your tyres and how it can put you at risk, it’s worth checking the owner’s manual for the correct pressure and ensuring your tyres have the correct pressure on a monthly basis.
Did you know that the comfort in your car’s seating position impacts your ability to drive efficiently and safely? If you’re not comfortable when in the driving seat, you’ll be more likely to drive and brake in a manner that’s sharp and sudden as opposed to smooth and steady. If you need to find the perfect seat position, put your wrists on top of the steering wheel as you extend or shorten your seat’s distance from the steering wheel.
If you are over-enthusiastic with your take-offs from a standstill, keep in mind this will cause your tyres to wear out quicker. While it might look impressive at first, it’s eventually going to harm your tyres.
Tyre tread wear is affected by aggressive driving, and when we say this we mean repeated rapid acceleration and high-speed cornering, both of these habits put a strain on the tyre surface causing them to wear out more quickly. If you’re carrying out regular tyre pressure checks, keeping up with the rotation schedule, and maintaining good vehicle alignment but find your tyres are still wearing out, it’s time to consider your driving habits.
As well as carrying out regular tyre maintenance and taking into consideration the above, it's important that you don't cause any unnecessary tyre wear or damage by falling into bad habits when you drive. You do not need to remove any enjoyment from driving, but rather keeping tyres in the best condition possible to enhance the enjoyment. Here are a few of our good driving habit tips that you can follow:
