Why it’s important to check your tyres…

The Coast team was alarmed to hear a recent story in America of a man that was injured whilst inflating his campervan tyre at a petrol station.

Unfortunately the tyre was in poor condition and burst when the owner attempted to increase the pressure. In addition to injuring the owner, the debris from the explosion hit the head and arm of another patron, resulting in hospitalisation.

You can read the full story here.

Incidents like this illustrate the importance of making sure the tyres of your motorhome or touring caravan are in good condition. Here is a check list of things to look out for if you’re worried about the state of your tyres…

Here are some tips for making sure your tyres are in good shape…

• Check the manufacturer date of your tyres – because motorhome and caravan tyres are used less often, we recommend that you replace tyres that are more than five years old regardless of their condition
• Make sure your tyre has a tread depth of at least 1.6mm
• Examine each tyre closely (including the sidewall) for dents, warping, cuts, cracks and embedded objects
• Look up the optimum tyre pressure for your vehicle (factoring in its payload) and make your tyres are correctly inflated
• For an extra safety measure you can fit wheel safety bands, which provide a ‘run flat’ capability for a short time to allow you to pull over in a safe place

Even with properly maintained tyres, unfortunately there are still occasions where accidents occur. In these situations, our comprehensive motorhome insurance and touring caravan insurance can offer you a financial piece of mind.