'Pressure' is to be applied to UK motorists this October to ensure that their tyres are properly inflated as tyre safety month rolls in.
TyreSafe, the not for profit group behind the campaign, are aiming to raise awareness about the dangers of under-inflated tyres, as well as the negative impact that they have on fuel costs and the lifespan of the tyre. With the help of thousands of garages and other organisations across the UK, TyreSafe are aiming to encourage UK motorists to check their tyre pressure on a monthly basis.
“As the nights start to draw in and the weather deteriorates, it’s essential that drivers ensure that their tyres are safe and fit for the winter ahead,” explains Stuart Jackson, chairman, TyreSafe. “The most basic inspection which should be carried out at least once a month, is simply checking that your tyres are properly inflated. Of course, tread depth and tyre condition are also important but to help drivers make these assessments, thousands of garages will be offering free safety checks throughout the month.”
Checking your tyre pressure is easy, and it does not take more than a couple of minutes, but for some reason, it is a task that many motorists neglect to undertake. A recent pan-European survey carried out by one of TyreSafe's members found that 78% of the cars included were, in fact, driven on under-inflated tyres.
More worringly, 28.4% of the cars had tyres that were seriously or severely under-inflated, which of course, greatly reduces their levels of road safety.
In 2012 - according to the Department for Transport - 194 drivers were killed or seriously injured as a result of illegal, defective or under-inflated tyres on UK roads.
Simon Sheldon Wilson, Highways Agency's Director of Traffic Management had this to say, “England’s motorways and major A-roads are among the safest in the world. But it’s important that everyone plays their part in this by making sure their vehicle is roadworthy. Taking a few minutes to check your tyre pressures once a month – or before long journeys – helps to keep you, your passengers, other drivers and road workers safe.”
Aside from laziness, reasons for not doing a monthly tyre pressure check range from not realising the importance, to not knowing how to do it/what the correct pressure should be. To combat this, TyreSafe have released a free iPhone app available to download, as well as a handy online tool (tyresafe.org) which provides drivers with their correct tyre pressures, simply by inputting their vehicle registration details.
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