Commuters’ safety has become a major concern for National Highways and Motorway Police (NHMP), who are urging motorists to take precautionary measures to prevent accidents caused by neglecting tire safety measures.
Talking to a state run news agency here on Wednesday, an official of the NHMP said that many accidents occurred due to the use of smuggled, damaged, or weak tires. He said that motorists should check and ensure the minimum tread level value of their car. “Tread value for the car should be 1.6mm, for LTV vehicles the value should be 2.5mm, while for buses and HTVs, the value should be 3.5mm”, he added.
In addition, he said that motorists should try to perform regular visual tests of their vehicles’ tires, and ensure that they do not mix tires of different sizes or speed ratings. Mixing tires could have a negative impact on the vehicle’s handling and stability, making it more prone to accidents, he maintained.
The officials emphasized the importance of maintaining correct air pressure in tires, saying that vehicles with incorrect air pressure consumed more fuel, and affected the road handling, making it difficult to take corners safely. He said that under-inflated tires could also increase the braking distance which made it more difficult to stop the vehicle in time.
He said that to ensure good contact between the tires and the road, it was essential to maintain the correct air pressure in the tires. He urged the motorists to inspect their vehicles’ tires regularly and replace them after the recommended time period.
