Story & Photo by Ronald Rey M. de los Reyes
LET’S admit it. In learning how to drive safely on the road, the first few car parts that come to mind are the steering wheel, the brakes, the seatbelt, windshield wiper, signal lights, side and probably rear view mirrors. Ask any student of a driving school and the response would be a resounding amen to all of the things mentioned. Indeed, a few do pay a pivotal attention to those black round rubbers full of air—where, in fact, this often-neglected crucial aspect of the car is actually the only contact between your vehicle and the road.
Good thing Bridgestone Philippines had the good sense to remind us “crash test dummies” that safety does actually starts with the basics—the tires. And they are not, first and foremost, taking things lightly regarding this issue.
“Hindi Na Pwede Ang Pwede Na ‘Yan” is a road-safety campaign aimed to be held throughout the year that the tire-maker has recently come up with to address the importance of the tires in a car.
“Hindi na pwede ang pwede na,” Bridgestone Philippines Marketing Division’s Ruby Gan reiterated.
She added: “What many fail to realize is that many accidents and road mishaps would not have happened with quality tires. This is why Bridgestone hopes to educate drivers about tire importance. Go back to basics.”
To begin with, they first gathered the media in a driving and tire-testing exhibition at the Honda Safety Driving Center compounds in Parañaque. At the makeshift test track, the participants were made to experience various on-road conditions one may encounter while driving. This writer was then able to ride with Ivan Isada, one of the professional drivers who earnestly got behind the wheel of the test cars to let us undergo the various trials.
“You are first to see the difference between a worn-out tire and a new one. Then, next would be the dangers of having under-inflated tires,” he said.
True enough, in the first segment wherein bald tires were pitted against a new tire with proper remaining tread depth under wet surface conditions, the latter performed better by stopping at the right spot, a 2-meter, one-second earlier compared to the run-down tires’.
“That couple of meters difference is what separates one from a fender-bender or a critical accident. It’s what even separates life from death,” Isada explained.
“Especially this rainy season, properly conditioned tires are of utmost importance,” he added.
On the second segment, meantime, the underinflated tire and the other with proper inflation pressure were set against each other through a slalom course. Here, the maneuverability and control of the vehicle were determined on how the steering wheel would respond under the two tire conditions. The trial simulated dodging a deep pothole to avoiding anything that falls from the vehicle ahead in real-life situations. With the underinflated ones, the driver had more difficulty of controlling, evident by the wider turns and the driver’s extra effort to bring back the wheels into the right direction. Fuel-efficiency is also crucially affected with these subpar provisions.
Free tire-check service launched
Other than the said activities, Bridgestone’s Free Tire Check Service program was also formally introduced. Available at all their tire centers, it is the brand’s way of reaching out to more drivers across the country in their goals to make tire knowledge accessible and free. The one-day event also featured in-depth discussions and stories on everyone’s motoring concerns. The company eagerly took the challenge of answering pressing questions, providing ultimate solutions, inspiring driving safety and confidence, and most important, leading the way in cultivating a city of truly better motorists.
Gan said: “Bridgestone emphasizes that the tires play a crucial role in safety, handling and fuel economy, among many others. It is essential to have quality, well-maintained tires more than anyone can imagine, so if there’s one thing anyone shouldn’t scrimp on, they’re those black round rubbers that are in contact with the road all the time.”
With this, they left with several tips that drivers can use:
- Check for irregular tire wear.
- Rotate your tires regularly. Bridgestone suggests doing this every 5,000 kilometers.
- Use a tread-wear indicator. The recommended tread level is around 1.6 millimeter.
- Always change all your tires at the same time, or at least in pairs (either both front or both rear tires).
- Drive gently. Sudden acceleration and heavy braking can easily wear your tires out.
1 comment
For your driving safety, your tires are as important as your brakes. Beware low quality tires especially for long drives. Stay safe with good quality tires like bridgestone.