Drivers urged to check tyre tread
Your insurance claim might be rejected if you have an accident with a tread below the legal limit.
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All drivers are aware that testing their cars to make sure that they are
roadworthy on South Africa's roads, especially during winter, is one of the most
important things to do on a regular basis.
Testing your tyre tread should be high on your list of priorities, as rainy
weather leads to slippery roads - and good tyres are essential in these
conditions.
But here's another reason why you should check your tyre tread - if you
are involved in an accident and your tyres have a tread of below the legal
1.6mm, your insurance claim may be rejected.
"If the insurer determines the cause of the accident is as a direct result of
poor tyre maintenance on the part of the consumer, then it is possible that a
claim will be repudiated," said the Regional Manager of MAU Insurance, Delouise
Marais.
Marais gave some invaluable tips to ensure that insurance companies pay out
for damage to tyres if they hit a pothole, for example.
"If you hit a pothole and your car has been damaged, it is a good idea to
take a photo and get the exact location of the pothole, as well as its size by
adding a pen to determine the scale," she said.
She also said that it is a good idea to have some visual evidence in the
event that the pothole gets covered by the time an investigation takes place,
"as the onus may be on the driver to prove that the damage was caused by a
specific pothole at a specific place."
Check Tyres Before Long Trips
Tyre tread should be checked before every long trip, but at
least every three or four months, according to Marais.? She said that it is
important to check for both over and under inflation, as well as monitoring tyre
pressure, tyre wear and wheel alignment.
"Most importantly, tyre sizes, speed and load ratings must also
conform to the specifications in the vehicle owner's manual," she said. "This
also reduces the risk of a claim being rejected in the event of an accident."
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