The Rivers State sec
tor Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), has warned motorists against the use of ‘Tokumbo’ tyers on their vehicles.
The sector commander, Andrew Ayodele Kumapayi, who handed down the warning in a statement signed by the command Public Education Officer, John Michael and made available to The Tide correspondent in Port Harcourt said ‘Tokumbo’ tyres were expired and could be more dangerous.
He said if a tyre was used carefully after two years, the tyre loses about 20 per cent of its quality, and when it reached three years, it loses about 20 per cent of its quality, while in the third year, it loses about 50 per cent.
The Rivers FRSC boss noted that an appropriate life span for tyre replacement should be four years from the date of manufacture, adding that poor alignment of tyre and unbalanced wheel reduces the life span of a tyre as well.
According to him, “it is adviseable that tyre should be replaced after covering a maximum of 80,000km, even if the four years life span is yet to be met,” adding that it is adviceable that when changing a vehicle tyre, motorists should  fix the new tyres on the rear axisle.
He also noted that new tyre on the rear axisle provide better handling on wet grip and evacuate water which helped to avoid oversteer and loss of vehicle stability on wet surfaces.
Kumapayi also highlighted on new tyres that got burst on the road, how to know the expiry date of a tyre, tyre pressures and inflection tips.
High speed compounds problems associated with blow out tyres, keep to the speed limits always”, the sector commander posited.

Collins Barasimeye