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29 March 2024

UAE motorists ignore tyre pressure risks

Less than a third of respondents in a poll said they checked tyre pressure at least once a fortnight as advised. (SUPPLIED)

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By Staff

Motorists in the UAE and Saudi Arabia are putting themselves at risk because they aren't checking the pressure in their car tyres regularly.

Less than a third of respondents in a poll conducted by YouGov Siraj said they checked tyre pressure at least once a fortnight as advised -- despite high-profile campaigns and blistering heat.
 
“With the summer upon us, it’s worrying the majority of motorists are failing to carry out even relatively minor safety checks” says Vivek Wagle, Research Director at YouGov Siraj.
 
“There still appears to be a lack of understanding on most motorists’ part about the danger of incorrectly inflated tyres and the campaigns just haven’t got the message across.”
 
The majority of respondents in the poll said they check their tyre pressure once every three or four weeks.
 
Tyres that are either under or over inflated will adversely affect vehicle handling and stability, especially at high speeds, say experts.
 
Both can greatly reduce the life of a tyre, but underiflation poses the greatest danger in this region as the extra heat generated by driving on underinflated tyres in extreme hot climates at sustained high speeds can result in tyre tread separation and subsequent high speed tyre 'blow-out' and possible loss of vehicle control.
 
The study was conducted online between May 31 and June 8 in the UAE and Saudi Arabia and covered a sample of 760 and 759 respondents respectively.