The steps are relatively simple on paper, but introducing them will take teamwork between the fleet department and the fleet drivers, with the common understanding that it improves safety and reduces costs.
Among the areas to focus on for safety are ensuring drivers understand the legal minimum tread depth of 1.6mm, that air pressures are correct and that wheel nuts are checked regularly.
For longer-lasting tyres, fleets drivers need to adopt a smoother driving style, check the tracking on their vehicles, avoid carrying unnecessary loads and avoid rapid acceleration and braking. Here is an at-a-glance guide:
Tyre safety checklist
Low pressure also results in excessive wear on the edge of the tyre, shortening its life. Excessive pressure, meanwhile, results in unpredictable handling, in addition to which, if the tyre suffers an impact, it is easily ruptured and cut. If drivers brake hard, the tyre may skid, which reduces tyre life as the centre of the tread becomes worn. Check tyre inflation pressures at least twice a month. Always check pressures when tyres are cool and maintain the pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.
Source Mangoletsi
Five ways to decrease tyre wear
1. Adopt a smooth driving style through bends. Driving round bends wears the tyre much more quickly than travelling on a straight road. However, you can minimise the effects by adopting a smooth driving style, changing direction without jerkiness and maintaining an even speed.
2. Accelerate and decelerate smoothly. Rapid acceleration and heavy braking cause hugely increased wear as tyres struggle to maintain grip. Again, driving smoothly is the key to prolonging tyre life.
3. Are your tyre pressures correct? Regularly checking that tyres are correctly inflated is an essential piece of tyre maintenance. Tyres operating at the right pressure provide better grip, giving handling and braking benefits, and also wear more slowly.
4. Don't overload your vehicle. If you operate a vehicle above the load rating for which it was designed, you are causing strain on all kinds of components, including the tyres. Increased wear is inevitable.
5. Is your tread wear even? Look at the way in which your tyres are wearing. If the tread on one side is shallower than the other, the chances are that there is a mechanical problem on the vehicle that is causing uneven tread wear. Further advice should be sought from a qualified source.
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