More than 1 in 5 cars cars have worn tyres – Reaction Cyprus

More than one in five passenger cars on Cyprus’ roads have worn tyres, checks by Reaction Cyprus and Road Transport Department have found.

Employees of Reaction, the Road Transport Department and the private company LP Frankeskides took to the streets to conduct checks on passengers cars, trucks and buses.

In total they checked 523 vehicles. They found that 24.8% of passengers cars had at least one tyre with low pressure and 21.9% had at least one worn tyre.

Also, 25.7% of trucks checked had at least one worn tyre.

Compared to last year’s check, the percentage of passenger cars with worn tyres remains about the same, Reaction said, while the percentage for trucks dropped by 5%.

Nicosia

Of the passenger cars checked in Nicosia, 29.1% of them had at least one worn tyre, while the percentage of buses who had at least one worn tyre was 38.4%.

Also, 20% of the passengers cars checked were found to have low pressure in at least one tyre. The percentage for 4X4 vehicles was 32%

Larnaca

Of the passenger cars checked in Larnaca, 25% of them had at least one worn tyre.

Limassol

In Limassol, 33% of the passengers cars checked had at least one worn tyre.

Paphos

In Paphos, more than 36% of 4X4 vehicles checked had at least one worn tyre. Of the buses checked, approximately one in four had at least one worn tyre.

The check also found a number of vehicles with nails and screws on their tyres, as well as cars with old tyres.

According to experts, the safety of a vehicle depends on the correct use and maintenance of its tyres. Citizens are urged to monitor the condition of the their tyres on a weekly basis, especially before the summer. With maintenance a tyre can last between 40,000-80,000 km. depending on driving style and the condition of roads.

Also, it is important to check tyre pressure at least once a month or before long trips on highways where vehicles move at higher speeds.

What does too low tyre pressure lead to?

• extended braking distance on wet roads by several metres (width of two pedestrian crossings),
• reduced aquaplaning resistance of the tyres,
• delayed and less precise reactions of the car,
•  risk of over- or understeering of the vehicle,
• more difficult parking manoeuvres (especially in cars without power steering),
• a high probability of the tyre being blown,
• increased risk of punctures or other tyre damage,
• faster wear of steering components.