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Unnecessary tyre damage is costing fleets dearly

One in five tyres fitted to cars and vans operated by major fleets are being replaced early, owing to tyre damage which can often be avoided.

That’s according to ATS Euromaster, which has just conducted a detailed review of the tyre replacement cycle across its major fleet customers, totalling more than 100,000 leased cars and vans.

The study found that the average remaining tread on tyres removed through damage is 4.8mm, leaving 2.8mm of tread left on the tyre and still enabling it to be changed ahead of the legal limit.  With 1mm of tread equivalent to approximately 4,000 miles, these damaged tyres are achieving only 55% per cent of their potential life.

Commenting on the findings, Steve Bury of ATS Euromaster said: “Just three causes of damage account for a staggering 81% of the tyres we replace prematurely – punctures (31%), sidewall damage (27%) and drivers exceeding the 50mph/50-mile limit on deflated run-flat tyres (22%).

“In many cases, this damage could be avoided and we are actively encouraging fleet managers to cascade this information back to their company’s drivers, along with three simple steps to help reduce damage.”

1. Choose where you park carefully, to avoid the risk of punctures.  Don’t park near a skip, where sharp debris is often spilled and take care around industrial estates.  Similarly, broken glass has a tendency to collect close to the kerb on busy residential streets, where road sweepers clean infrequently due to parked cars.

2. Be aware of the risk of kerbing your tyres when turning at a junction and leave a sufficient gap between the tyre and the kerb when parking.  Kerbing causes premature wear to the sidewall at the tyre’s weakest point.
 
3. If your vehicle has run-flat tyres and the pressure monitor warning light illuminates, have the tyre checked immediately.  If you keep your speed below 50mph and seek professional advice within 50 miles, there is a chance the run-flat tyre can be repaired.

Other reasons highlighted by the study for tyres being replaced early included tyre damage making the casing uneconomical to repair (5%), irregular wear (3%), often through flat-spotting and misaligned steering, tread damage (2%) and blow-outs (2%).

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