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Bank Holiday weekend is just around the corner, and motorists have been urged to carry out a straightforward task soon. With many people planning road trips or getaways to make the most of the long weekend, it turns out their vehicles deserve some attention first.
This comes as glorious weather has been forecast across much of the UK over the Bank Holiday weekend, with drivers potentially unaware that something rather simple could land them in trouble. That's why all motorists are being urged to act now before it becomes a real headache.
This isn't the only handy piece of guidance to have been shared with drivers recently, either. Just days ago, important advice was also issued regarding parking rules.
Most motorists rarely give tyre pressure a second thought until a warning light flickers on. However, according to Tina Newman, automotive specialist at Just Tyres, a Bank Holiday weekend combined with this week's predicted temperatures could be precisely the wrong moment to leave things to chance.
"Tyre pressure changes with temperature," Tina explained. "For roughly every 10 degrees Celsius rise in ambient heat, pressure increases by around 1 PSI. So a tyre that reads correctly on a cool morning a few weeks ago could now be running noticeably higher than it should and most drivers have no idea."
That's particularly concerning this weekend. Lengthier motorway journeys generate heat inside the tyre on top of whatever the weather is throwing at us outside. Road surface temperatures during a UK heatwave can climb to 50 to 60 degrees Celsius, even when air temperatures hover in the high twenties, and lengthy spells of high-speed motoring exacerbate the issue.
The trouble is that overinflated tyres are far less obvious than flat ones. Many vehicles don't flag the problem. While some TPMS systems monitor both under and over inflation, a large number only alert when pressure drops too low, and the vehicle doesn't necessarily handle differently at first.
However, the contact patch — the section of the tyre actually in contact with the road — diminishes when pressure is excessive, reducing grip and extending braking distances. "A tyre that's overinflated is also more vulnerable to impact damage," Tina added.
"Hit a pothole or a kerb on an overinflated tyre and the risk of a blowout is higher than people realise. On a motorway at 70mph, it could be disastrous."
The positive news is that it's straightforward to remedy. Simply check your tyre pressure before setting off, while the tyres are still cold, not after you've already driven to the services.
Use the manufacturer's recommended pressure, which is typically found inside the driver's door frame or in the handbook. If pressure is higher than it ought to be, release a small amount and recheck. It's also worthwhile carrying out a visual inspection of all four tyres while you're there.
Check for any noticeable bulging on the sidewalls, and examine the tread. Press a 20p coin into the main groove — if the outer band of the coin is visible, the tread may be nearing or below the legal minimum of 1.6mm.
"People tend to check their tyres in January when everyone's talking about winter driving," said Tina. "But a hot Bank Holiday weekend with a long journey ahead is just as important a moment to do it. The tyres that seemed fine on the school run all week are about to do something much more demanding."
The entire check takes less than two minutes. For a Bank Holiday weekend, that's probably the most valuable two minutes before you lock up the house and pack the car.
This advice arrives as scorching conditions have been forecast for this weekend, with soaring highs of 30C anticipated. The Met Office has stated the UK will experience an "exceptional spell of warmth for May", with temperatures expected to climb steadily each day for the rest of the week before the warmest weather of the year is predicted to arrive.
