The Hidden Cost Of Lockdown: Tyres

Wednesday 2nd September 2020

Have you noticed that your tyres have needed changing since lockdown eased? Tyre pressure reduced? A slow puncture causing problems? Pothole drama? Our research has found that in the last eight weeks alone, tyre related issues have cost Brits over £1.5million!

We’ve changed over 20,000 tyres since the start of July, with staycation and tourism hotspots seeing the biggest increase in bookings including:

• Cambridge (+350%)
• Hastings (+159%)
• Cheltenham (+50%)
• Gloucester (+10%)
• Portsmouth (+3%)

Centres on core motorway routes have also seen sharp increases in tyre bookings, as travellers have encountered issues en-route to their holiday destination:

• Northampton (+145%)
• Redditch (+67%)
• Leeds (+52%)
• Bristol (+45%)
• Derby (+18%)

What Is Causing These Issues?

As our cars have been stationary for the majority or even the entirety of lockdown, our tyres have not been checked as frequently (when was the last time you checked your tyre pressure?), making them more susceptible to issues, especially when on long drives.

Under-inflated tyres can lead to poor handling when driving, increased fuel consumption (higher costs!) and unbalanced contact with the road.

On the other hand, over-inflated tyres can lead to increased damage from potholes, blowouts when the weather is warm and loss of traction.

Both extremes are very dangerous to drivers, particularly on long journeys; therefore it’s vital you check your tyre pressure often.

How To Check Your Tyre Pressure?

Tyre pressure should be checked at least once a month in order to ensure that you’re driving on correctly inflated tyres and avoiding potential tyre issues.

The correct tyre pressure levels for your tyres can often be found on the inside of your car door, however you can use our handy tyre pressure calculator to find this information too.

Here’s how to check it:

• Remove the valve dust cap from your tyre and put the pressure gauge on the tyre valve stem.
• Press down on the gauge to get your reading
• If your tyres need inflating, use a pump, adding small amounts of air at a time to achieve the correct reading.
• If your tyres need deflating, use the tip of a screwdriver (flat-head) to push on the metal pin and release air from the tyre. Again do this slowly and in small increments to prevent under-inflating.