Stay safe on the road: Understanding tire pressure, speed limits and tire codes

First Published | Oct 15, 2024, 7:55 PM IST

Ignoring vehicle manuals can lead to accidents. Tire pressure and speed are crucial factors in tire bursts, often overlooked. Understanding tire codes and maintaining correct pressure can prevent accidents.

Accidents can occur if these precautions are not taken while driving vehicles. Whether it's a car or a bike, it needs to be driven very carefully. Usually, when any product is manufactured, the company that makes it gives specific instructions on how to use it. They give it to us as a booklet.

However, 99 percent of people don't read it. We just listen to what the company representatives and staff say and use it. However, they don't tell everything. Even if it is a very important matter, they ignore some things because they are small.

You are now going to learn about such an important thing. How fast do we usually go on a bike or in a car? We go at a speed of 70 km/h, 80 km/h. If the road is empty, we even cross 100, 120 km/h. This is causing road accidents.

Many people do not know how fast to go on which vehicle. That's why accidents are happening. Many people may not know that tire bursts depend on the speed at which the vehicle is traveling. However, experts say that tires in cars or bikes burst if they are over-inflated or under-inflated.

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Here are some of the main reasons why vehicle tires burst.

How much air to put in each tire is in the manual given by the company when you buy the vehicle. If the air in the car or bike decreases, we immediately go to the nearest mechanic shop and ask them to fill the air. The mechanics fill the air according to the vehicle. Most car tires are inflated to 30-35 PSI. However, some cars maintain an air pressure of 35-40 PSI. The amount of air in the tire depends on the car or bike model and tire size.

To maintain tire pressure, you should check your tire air every two weeks. Apart from this, tire air pressure should be checked before going on a long drive. You can also buy an air pressure gauge for this. Many types of portable air pressure gauges are available in the market. Keeping these in the car will be useful in case of emergency.

Another important reason for tire bursts is vehicle speed. Your vehicle can be a car or a bike. It doesn't even matter with the company. The speed you travel puts pressure on the tire. If this pressure increases too much, the tire will burst. To know how much pressure each tire can withstand, the companies that manufacture them give a code.

For example, there will be a serial number like 134/76 G 14 75 L. Companies print these on the tires so that they are visible. An English alphabet letter at the end of that code indicates how much air should be in the tires.

If the alphabet is L, the maximum speed is 120 km/h. If it is M, it is 130 km/h, N is 140 km/h, P is 150 km/h, Q is 160 km/h, R is 170 km/h, S is 180 km/h, T is 190 km/h, U is 200 km/h, H is 210 km/h, V is 240 km/h, W is 270 km/h, Y is 300 km/h. Tires will burst if the car or bike is driven beyond this speed. From now on, fill the air according to your tire and be careful not to cause accidents.

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