Holiday Road Safety: The Hidden Tyre Industry Threats You Need to be Aware Of

Imagine the festive cheer, the carols, the loved ones reunited. Now imagine it shattered by a screech of tyres, a sickening thud, and the chaos that follows. This is the harsh reality of South African roads, where the holiday season claims more lives than the UK's entire year. Studies brand us the world's worst when it comes to road safety – and illegal, unsafe tyres are often the main culprit.

Here is how and why.

1.?????? We have an influx of substandard tyres into the country.

South African tyre manufacturers produce around 12 million regulated tyres a year, but nearly 2 million substandard tyres are being sold illegally as second-hand tyres.

Africa has become a dumping ground for unsold tyres from other countries in Europe and the East. The big problem is that these tyres are not always suited to our weather and road conditions. For instance, a snow tyre is made from specialised, flexible rubber compounds and has a unique tread design much deeper than the average radial tyre, to deliver the best grip in snowy and icy road conditions.?Those same features would, therefore, put snow tyres at a disadvantage if used in our warmer temperatures. The speed rating – which is the maximum speed the tyre can be driven at – is, therefore, also different.

Using these ill-suited tyres, often mismatched or incompatible with a vehicle's specific requirements, can lead to premature wear and tear. They will also negatively impact handling, fuel efficiency, and overall vehicle performance. And yes, they can and do lead to accidents.

2.?????? Unregulated second-hand and part-worn tyres are a ticking time bomb.

South Africans are under massive cost pressures, and choosing used tyres is often seen as a cheaper option than buying new ones, but there is a significant lack of quality control and regulatory oversight in the second-hand tyre market that raises serious concerns about the authenticity and safety of these products.

People are buying these tyres from roadside vendors without considering the reasons as to why they were removed. Second-hand or partly worn tyres can be costly in ways other than money. ?With a second-hand tyre, you have no idea if it has been subjected to harsh driving conditions, or improper maintenance, or if its structural integrity has been compromised in an accident.

Was the vehicle involved in a collision? Has the tyre casing been compromised due to potholes, run-flat damage, or a failed repair? Without a clear understanding, a motorist can, therefore, unknowingly risk inheriting hidden defects and vulnerabilities that make these tyres prone to sudden failures, such as blowouts. Unfortunately, the public often underestimates these risks, thinking they are getting a bargain tyre for 50 to 60 Rand.

My advice is, therefore, to avoid fitting second-hand or part-worn tyres, as it poses a significant risk that could result in a tyre failure.

1.?????? Regrooved tyres are risky business.

Regrooving involves removing rubber from the current rubber layer to reinstate the depth of the tread pattern and it is legally permitted in South Africa, however, we as Sumitomo Rubber SA do not recommend it due to our country’s poor road conditions that may compromise tyre casings before regrooving. It creates the illusion that these tyres are in great condition when they could in fact have serious damage to their lining and carcass.

Special caution should be taken when buying regrooved tyres. Regrooving should only be done by a reputable regroover to ensure alignment to the legal prescribed limits and prevent damage to the tyre.

Many transporters avoid regrooving on trucks due to safety concerns. Unfortunately, a growing issue arises with passenger car radial tyres sourced from dumps or scrap piles, where unscrupulous or uninformed informal dealers cut into the tyre casing, exposing the rayon or steel breakers, and this can lead to premature tyre failure when these materials encounter water. ?What some second-hand tyre dealers even do after regrooving a tyre is to polish the tyre wall with black polish to make it look better than it is and to create an illusion about the tyre’s actual condition.

For passenger car tyres, regrooving is strictly illegal and is a significant safety risk, contributing to collisions on the roads.

2.?????? Modified tyres are a growing concern.

Navigating through certain communities, you will often see vehicles with lowered suspensions and fitted with low-profile tyres that are stretched beyond their intended capacity. This trend, known as drop suspension and wide tyres, or stretched tyres, has become a significant concern.

Many individuals, especially the youth, want the aesthetic appeal of a lowered vehicle without fully understanding the potential risks. For instance, they might place a 165/50 R15 tyre, designed for a 5.5-inch rim, onto an 8.25-inch rim—almost double the recommended width.

This stretching of the tyre sidewalls poses a serious threat as the bead area of every tyre has a 15-degree taper, originally designed for a vertical motion. When these tyres are stretched, the sidewall is forced to work at a 45-degree angle, leading to instability. This dangerous practice not only restricts the vehicle's speed – you will often see these drivers going at 40 km/h on highways – but also increases the likelihood of the tyre dismounting during sudden lateral forces, such as breaking or cornering, potentially causing severe collisions. It is crucial to know the dangers of altering or customising tyres like this.

Recently, a major insurance company rejected a motorist’s accident claim because his car had been fitted with stretched tyres, which could have contributed to the accident. Do not let this be you or one of your loved ones.

Stay #SaferthanSafe this holiday and beyond

At Sumitomo Rubber SA, our #SaferthanSafe initiative clearly demonstrates our commitment towards ensuring that vehicles on our roads are equipped with secure and well-maintained tyres. We strongly firmly believe that this plays a crucial role in both saving lives and alleviating the economic strain of road accidents and fatalities.

Through our membership of the South African Tyre Manufacturers Conference, we have been providing technical training support to upskill Traffic and Road Safety Officers nationally as to how to identify risky or illegal tyres that pose a threat to road safety. We have also been doing lots of work to ensure that motorists themselves can spot whether their own tyres are posing a threat to their safety and the safety of others.

Knowledge is power. Equipping drivers, road users and law enforcement officials with the ability to identify safe and suitable tyres is vital. We want to highlight the dangers of unsafe tyres, teach basic inspection techniques, and emphasise the importance of purchasing from reputable sources.

Let us not allow the festive season, or any season for that matter, to be marred by preventable tragedies. Let us make informed choices, demand better practices, and ensure that every journey, near or far, is undertaken on safe and reliable rubber.