Tyre safety in the UAE: How you can stay safe during the summer
Here’s how you can check if your car tyres are roadworthy
Police and traffic authorities across the UAE have started raising awareness about the need to ensure tyre safety as the summer heat rises. Over the past few days, Abu Dhabi Police, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Sharjah Police have all issued advisories, asking motorists to ensure their tyres are in a good condition.
How does the heat affect tyre safety?
According to Hassan Sajjad, owner of Dubai-based Autostatd motor services, the summer heat leads to thermal expansion in tyres. “Also, rubber and polyurethane products become soft at high temperatures. Along with frictional heat produced by the tyres when on the road, this can lead to extreme wear and tear and increase chances of bursting,” he said.
He added that ensuring wheel alignment is also important as the wrong alignment damages tyres internally.
According to the UAE’s Ministry of Interior (MOI) accidents due to burst tyres led to 110 deaths in 2018.
How to maintain tyre safety
“As per UAE laws, a tyre’s validity is for five years, after which they cannot be used on UAE roads. You can see the year of manufacture on the tyre itself. That must be noted by the customer when they buy tyres, because they would only be valid for five years from the year of manufacturing,” Anil Chacko, owner of Motoka Auto Services in Dubai, said. He also advised motorists to buy tyres from authorised dealers only, and if possible, buy all four tyres together, to ensure even wear.
Check the tyre tread if your vehicle is being used heavily. If your job entails driving long distances, the tyre tread might wear out and the tyres would need to be replaced before the five-year validity, according to Chacko. It is also important to check the tyre pressure frequently. If you don’t know what the PSI should be for your car’s tyres, check the door pillar of your vehicle, where the pressure would be mentioned.