Check your tyres before traveling this Easter

A leading tyre organisation is urging caravan and motorhome owners to carry out essential safety checks before heading out on the road this Easter weekend.

Those of you planning a trip away will be anticipating heavy traffic but a burst, flat or damaged tyre could increase your traffic woes at the very least. At worst, it could lead to personal injury and/or damage to your leisure vehicle.

Tyresafe, a group set up to raise awareness of defective and worn tyre danger, warns that caravans and motorhomes are particularly prone to tyre degradation. This is because the majority of vehicles have been parked outside in the cold for several months during the winter season.

UV rays in particular can harm the ingredients in tyre rubber, reducing its flexibility and resilience. If the tyre is also under-inflated, the risk of a blow-out on the road increases dramatically.

“Exposure to the elements for long periods without movement can be a real cause of rubber damage to caravan tyres, often seen by cracking or a drop in pressure,” commented TyreSafe’s Chairman Stuart Jackson. “It’s vital to ensure that the tyres are properly inspected before use and correctly maintained.”

TyreSafe advises all caravan and motorhome owners to check the tread and sidewalls of their tyres before setting off. If the tyre has any cracks, bulges, lumps or cuts, or it has a foreign object embedded in it, a professional mechanic should be consulted and the tyre replaced immediately.

Tyre safety is not the only thing to be aware of if this weekend marks your first trip of the year; you also need to make sure your touring caravan insurance or motorhome insurance is up to date. For a quote on renewing your policy, contact Coast free of charge on 0800 614 849 or click here for an online touring caravan quotation.