

Vehicles don’t only run on fuel, they also run on tyres and tyres with heavy wear are at a disadvantage for wet driving.
There are things you should definitely keep top-of-mind to ensure you are safe on our nation’s wet roads.
RULE #1: GRIP FIRST
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The rubber’s contact with the road enables grip, even on wet roads.
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Grip on a wet road is generated by the micro-slide between the rubber and the road. With its viscoelastic properties, the rubber will change its shape on the road’s bumps and generate forces that enable a vehicle to brake, accelerate or take a corner, even when the road is wet and covered by a thin layer of water.
When the road is dry, another mechanism, adhesion, increases grip. Molecular connections exist between the rubber and the road, generating more force. Water’s first effect is to prevent adhesion and reduce available grip.
RULE #2: CHECK YOUR TREAD DEPTH
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When a tire is under-inflated or over-inflated, it loses stability, negatively affecting handling, cornering, and stopping. Eventually the tire will also start to wear unevenly. Under-inflated tires tend to show wear on the outside edges of the tread, while over-inflated tires show wear down the middle of the tread.
The tire tread depth gauge measures in 32nds of an inch. Good tire tread depth will be 6/32 or deeper. If the depth is 4/32, you should start thinking of replacing your tires and getting new ones.
