Road Safety
Obey the traffic rules and always be cautious and respect other drivers. The following safety driving advice could help you save maintenance costs, prolong the service life of the tire and save fuel. For racing enthusiasts, keep in mind that: the road is not the racetrack. There are the following useful suggestions from the point of view of road safety.
One of the greatest risks of driving on the wet and slippery road is aquaplaning: how can you deal with this situation?
Aquaplaning leads to “floating” of the tire and immediate loss of grip. It is a dangerous situation which is typically caused by tackling very wet stretches of road or large puddles of water, caused by bad road surface drainage when the car is at a high speed. In this case, the grooves on the tread can’t expel the water under the tire which will cause the car “floating”. With careful driving and tires which are not worn and are correctly inflated, this danger can be avoided on most occasions. Now that we’ve clarified the concept of aquaplaning and here is some advice on how to cope with this situation. Braking is no use because the car is floating and moreover there is also the risk, as soon as the tires grip again, that the car may swerve suddenly making you lose control completely. The best way is to keep a firm grip on the steering wheel to prepare for “regrip”, trying to keep the correct steering direction for the entire duration of the phenomenon and take your foot gradually off the accelerator pedal given that the engine revs increase rapidly as soon as the car starts floating.
Driving Safely in Winter
Firstly, tire chain or winter tire is a must, otherwise you can’t drive. The car will have no traction and on braking will be uncontrollable. Obey the traffic rules carefully and be patient with the slow driving vehicles. Keep a large distance with the vehicles ahead. And the gear can be changed higher different from on the dry road in order to reduce the risk of slipping when the driving is on uphill.
Drive Smoothly
Avoid sudden acceleration, steering or braking when driving and reduce the danger of slipping on the ice-snow roads to the lowest.
Four Wheels Should All be Winter Tires
Four tires should be the same for safety and best performance. Four wheels all should be used winter tires at the same brand and the same structure. Fit tires of the same size on the same axle, with the same characteristics of use, tread pattern and conditions of wear. If permitted, the use of studded tires must be extended to all four wheels. Consult the vehicle handbook for the correct load capacity and speed rating of the tires to be used.
Check Tire Pressure Regularly
Inflation pressures must be checked regularly and carried out when the tires are cold. If necessary, correct the pressure, and recheck it when the tire is cold. The tire pressure should be maintained at the level specified by the car manufacturer. Note that the pressure changes with the temperature: a pressure of 2.0 bar measured at +20°C decreases to 1.74 bar at -5°C and falls to 1.59 bar when the temperature is at -20°C (the change is 20%).
Check the Speed Limit
Pay attention to the speed limit indicated by the rating on the tire sidewall. Optionally, the car may be equipped with tires of a lower rating than that prescribed, adjusting the speed. In this case, the regulations state that the reduction in speed must be indicated on an adhesive label placed inside the car (on the windscreen or dashboard so that it’s always visible to the driver).
Check the Tread Frequently
The performance of winter tires remains effective down to a tread depth of 5/32mm. Below this level they are no longer adequate for winter use but can be used as summer tires down to the main tread minimum legal limit, set at 2/32mm.