Are your tyres in egg-cellent Easter condition?
TyreSafe is urging drivers to check their tyres before travelling this Easter.
It’s awareness campaign is even being featured in a national advertising campaign from Highways England and THINK!
Half of all breakdowns attended by Highways England are caused by simple mechanical problems which could be avoided with simple checks. Nearly a quarter are caused by tyre problems. However, breakdowns are not the only concern; tyres account for 40% of fatal or serious injuries caused by vehicle defect-related incidents.
Stuart Jackson, TyreSafe chairman, said, ‘With 15 million cars used over the four-day Easter holiday, and the inevitable congestion, taking time to check your tyres is an investment well worth making. Before any long journey, and regularly once a month, motorists should ACT responsibly, that is check air pressure, condition and tread depth. If you don’t do this routinely, it’s time to change your behaviour.
‘Drivers also need to inspect the condition of their spare tyre or space saver tyre, or if they don’t carry a spare be aware of how to use the repair kit provided by their car manufacturer. However, if they are unfortunate enough to suffer a tyre issue while on the motorway, they should stand away from the vehicle in as safe a place as possible after they’ve pulled over and should not be tempted to change their tyres in this dangerous situation. Instead, alert your breakdown recovery service and await their help or that of a Highways England traffic officer.’
Richard Leonard, Head of Road User Safety, Highways England, added, ‘Highways England’s traffic officers deal with thousands of breakdowns on their patrols every year. Frustratingly, nearly half of those incidents were caused by poor vehicle maintenance and being driven with defective tyres, insufficient oil or not enough fuel. With a few simple checks, drivers can overcome the risk of an incident and we can all enjoy a safer and easier journey this Easter.’
Top tips include checking tyre pressure (correct tyre pressures are shown on a sticker in your car’s door shut, filler cap or in the owner’s manual), tyre condition (stones in the tread should be removed and bulges, cracks, cuts and embedded objects checked by a professional), and tread (use a 20p coin to see whether your tyres’ tread depths are at least 1.6mm).
