Why Summer Tyre Checks Matter More Than You Think: Avoiding Trouble on the A30 and A380

Hot weather and heavily loaded cars are a combination that puts more stress on tyres than most drivers realise — checking pressure and tread depth before a long summer drive takes five minutes and meaningfully reduces the risk of a blowout. Roads like the A30 and A380 see some of the heaviest holiday traffic in Devon over the summer months, often with cars carrying far more weight than usual.

Side view of a car on a road during sunset with fields in the distance.

Why heat is harder on tyres than people assume

Tyre pressure rises naturally as temperature increases, and a tyre that was fine in spring can end up overinflated on a hot August afternoon — or underinflated if it wasn't checked recently and has been slowly losing air. Either way, the tyre isn't running at its intended pressure, which affects grip, braking distance, and how evenly the tyre wears.

Heat also accelerates the natural ageing of rubber. A tyre with plenty of tread can still have hardened, cracked rubber underneath from age and sun exposure, particularly if a car has spent a lot of time parked outside.

Why a loaded car changes things

A car packed for a family holiday — roof box, luggage, bikes, passengers — weighs considerably more than it does on a normal commute. Most manufacturers publish a separate "fully loaded" tyre pressure figure for exactly this reason, usually found in the handbook or on the door sill sticker. Running everyday pressures with a fully loaded car means the tyres are working harder than they're set up for.

Car boot packed with suitcases, an inflatable toy, beach bag, and ball.

What to check before a long summer drive

Tread depth

Legal minimum is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre, but we'd recommend replacing before it gets that low

Pressure

Checked cold, and adjusted to the loaded-vehicle figure if you're carrying extra weight

Visible damage

Bulges, cracks, or embedded debris, particularly on tyres that don't get used often

Spare tyre or repair kit

Easy to forget, but worth checking it's in working order before you need it on the hard shoulder

Curved road with cars, surrounded by trees and hills with a cluster of trees on top.

Why this matters specifically on routes like the A30 and A380

Summer traffic on these routes is often slow-moving and stop-start during peak getaway weekends, which generates more heat in tyres than steady motorway cruising. Combined with the extra weight most holiday cars are carrying, this is exactly the kind of driving that exposes a tyre that was already borderline.

Get a check before you travel

Howards' service centres across Somerset, Dorset and Devon offer tyre checks — it's a five-minute job that's worth doing before any long summer trip, and definitely before a fully loaded drive down to the coast.

Book Your Tyre Check

Book Here

Frequently asked questions

Should I check tyre pressure when the tyres are warm or cold?

Always check when cold, ideally before you've driven more than a couple of miles — pressure readings rise once tyres have warmed up from driving, giving a falsely high reading.

What's the "loaded" tyre pressure, and where do I find it?

It's the recommended pressure for a fully loaded car, usually listed separately from the standard figure in your handbook or on the door sill sticker.

How do I know if my tyres are too old, even if the tread looks fine?

Look for cracking in the sidewall rubber, particularly on cars that spend a lot of time parked in direct sun. If you're unsure, ask a technician to check — tyre age can be read from the date code on the sidewall.

Where can I get a tyre check before a long drive?

At any Howards site in Weston-super-Mare, Taunton, Yeovil, Dorchester or Barnstaple.