The start of the summer vacation is rapidly approaching. Once again, hundreds of thousands of vacationers will be driving to their destinations in their own cars. Continental, a leading tyre and chassis specialist, recommends that car drivers check tread depth and tyre pressure before starting to prevent possible breakdowns. Even those who will be flying south for some sun should think about tyres: The tyres should be checked on rental cars also.

This year the vacation wave will start on 21 June. Besides the heavy traffic, tyres can also be a reason for stress on the trip: According to the statistics of ADAC, the largest German automobile club, their roadside service cars made 154,000 service calls due to tyre damage. The most common reason is insufficient air pressure. The tyre gets hot and then suddenly loses air.

To prevent this dangerous situation, vacationers should check the tyre pressure before starting off, complying with the values specified by the vehicle manufacturer. In most cars, the specifications are mounted in the glove compartment or on the inside of the tank cap. Tip: The tyre should be cold when the tyre pressure is adjusted - so it should not be warm due to acceleration, braking or sunshine. Before heading back home, the tyres should be checked once again.

Whoever heads on vacation by plane would be wise to have a look at the "soles" of the rental car: Often when things are busy in the summer months, it is the tyre that gets ignored when the rental agents clean and inspect the cars.

In addition to the air pressure, the tread depth should be checked for the trip: Insufficient tread increases the chances of hydroplaning and braking distances increase on wet roads. Bear in mind that the legally stipulated 1.6 millimeter remaining tread is the absolute bottom limit.