Every Wet vehicle must perform some actions like accelerating, braking, turning, etc, efficiently. These actions are the prime motive for having a car. But imagine breaking your car in some urgent situation and the lack of immediate response could cause a mishap! The majority of the drivers would blame the brakes at first glance. But, are only the brakes here at fault?
Many people ignore the fact that Tyres North London are the ones that are responsible for making all these actions possible. So, they could also have some hand in it.
Along with that, many other factors affect the stopping distance of a car. But this is not a good thing to happen. Your stopping distance and time should be immediate. Factors like temperature changes, weather, road conditions, brakes and your tyres, play a major role in determining your car’s braking distance.
So, this post is here to educate you on the facts that can improve your stopping distance and save you from unpleasant situations.
What Is the Stopping Distance of a Vehicle?
The majority of the drivers think that the stopping distance of their car is the distance that the car travels after they apply the brakes. But, it is only partially true. If you take a look at the formula of the stopping distance, you must add the thinking distance plus the actual braking distance of the car.
Thinking distance is the distance or the time that the driver takes to think before applying the brakes. And braking distance is the distance that the vehicle travels after the driver applies the brakes.
Your thinking distance depends on your instincts or response time. While you are stopping or braking, distance depends on various factors. The factors might be wet and slippery roads, tyre tread depth level, speed of the vehicle, etc.
What differences do we see between the summer and winter tyres?
The UK doesn’t experience much snow or a harsh winter like other parts of Europe, but climate change these days is unpredictable. Most UK drivers think that their summer tyres will do the work even during the winter or rainy season. The majority of them even consider winter tyres as snow tyres.
This is a misconception. Because winter tyres are not there to travel on snow but on wet and slippery roads. They are the most helpful when the temperature drops below7 degrees celsius.
Cars with winter tyres notice a significant reduction in the stopping distance when the temperature goes below 7 degrees Celsius. Summer tyres won’t be much efficient in this temperature range. This is because the compounds in the composition of summer tyres become too hard when the temperature goes down. The following results in a significant decrease in the gripping capabilities of the summer tyre. Thus, they become dangerous to drive on.
Likewise, winter tyres can’t function properly at temperatures above 7 degrees Celsius.
Tyre Tread Depth and Stopping Distance:
As you might already know, the tyres generally come with a standard tread depth level of 8mm. But after rigorous driving and various factors, the tread depth starts decreasing.
Tyre tread depth and pattern are responsible for gripping, stopping aquaplaning and efficient braking. So according to the experts, when the tread depth goes below 3mm, the tyre becomes unable to properly get a grip on the road. Thus, the tyre starts skidding which leads to inefficient braking as well. However, the tread depth below 1.6mm is illegal to drive on and can result in a hefty fine.
Tyres with tread depth below 3mm find it difficult to get a grip on wet roads. This leads to aquaplaning and the car starts to skid. It also becomes difficult to brake on wet roads. So, the braking distance and stopping time of the tyre on wet roads increases a lot.
Conclusion:
Tyres play a significant role in determining your braking efficiency and braking distance. So, each of your four tyres should be of the same, premium brand such as Bridgestone Tyres North London. Investing in good-quality tyres will increase the lifespan and reduce the cost. along with that, it also adds great value to your safety while driving. Premium quality tyres don’t deteriorate easily, unlike regular or cheap brand tyres.
In case you have further queries or want to buy the best tyres for your car, visit our store today! You can also call us or visit our website for more details. Our professionals are always here to provide the best car services and vehicle products to you.
