Defective tyres?

TyreSafe, the organisation dedicated to raising tyre safety awareness, has just released data (obtained from the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office) showing that court convictions for defective tyres in England and Wales are at a four year high. In 2010, 10,475 motorists were convicted of driving with illegal tyres, which is almost 1,000 more than the previous year.

The current UK law requires car drivers to have a minimum of 1.6mm of tread depth  across the central three quarters of a tyre, around its entire circumference. If you fail to comply with these regulations you run the risk of a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty points for each illegal tyre.

October is tyre safety month and TyreSafe is running its campaign alongside tyre retailers and garages across the UK. If you visit a participating tyre dealer or garage you can get a thorough visual tyre inspection to ensure your tyres are safe to use and also legal to drive.

If you also visit the TyreSafe website you can also get a host of tyre safety information, advice,maintenance tips and how you can check your tyres yourself using the 20p coin test. There is also an online animation covering three areas – Air pressure, Condition and Tread Depth (ACT).

TyreSafe is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to raising awareness about tyre safety and it is encouraging fleet managers and the motor trade to support October’s Tyre Safety month. They have a range of free campaign materials (posters, leaflets, DVDs, an online movie, animations and other resources) for use by vehicle fleet managers and the rest of the motor vehicle trade. The aim is to reduce the number of tyre related accidents this winter.

The campaign is being fronted by McIntyres family of crash test dummies who will be making their debut appearance. Drivers are being encouraged to check their tread depth using the 20p coin test and the test dummies appear in an online animation giving handy tips and advice.

Stuart Jackson, chairman, TyreSafe, said,”Tyre safety month is a great opportunity for all garages and tyre dealers to help keep drivers safe on the road. By offering free tyre safety checks or displaying our information leaflets, posters and other road materials, they can really make a difference to the safety on our roads”.

If you would like further information on the October Tyre Safety campaign call the hotline on 0845 301 6852 or alternatively you can visit www.tyresafe.org

TyreSafe and British Horse Society

TyreSafe has just teamed up with the British Horse Society, the UK’s largest equine charity, to educate both amateur and professional horse owners about the importance of correct tyre pressures and tyre maintenance. The British Horse Society represents the 4.3 million people who ride horses or drive horse-drawn vehicles and will lend its support to a range of future tyre safety campaigns.

The partnership is also timed to coincide with Equifest 2011, which takes place from the 18th to the 21st of August, at the East of England Showground in Peterborough. At the event, the Society will distribute various leaflets that advise on tyre safety and in particular in relation to horseboxes and trailers. The information is being used in conjunction with VOSA, NFU Mutual and PRP Rescue Services who will be also conducting a vehicle weight investigation during the show.

All visitors with horseboxes and trailers will be invited to weigh their vehicles to see if there is a problem with overloading, which does impact on tyre safety. In addition, correct tyre selection, rubber degradation, inflation and general condition are all areas that will be covered in the leaflets and advice being handed out.

Sheila Hardy, Senior Executive, Safety, The British Horse Society, said,”The British Horse Society are delighted to work in partnership with TyreSafe to ensure that all equestrian transport is as safe as it can be. Many people often overlook their tyres when they do their checks prior to setting off and we hope that advice from this professional body will remind them how important it is to do this. A puncture when you have an animal on board is no joke and can be a stressful and costly matter”.

TyreSafe

TyreSafe, the non-profit organisation dedicated to raising awareness about tyre safety, is holding its first ever quarterly communications session on the 7th September, at the Ardencote Manor hotel in Warwick. The session has been designed for TyreSafe members, road safety professionals, fleet managers and HR managers.

TyreSafe will be presenting its plans for the forthcoming year on tyre safety, including the October tyre safety month, so fleet managers can dovetail their own internal tyre safety campaigns to their company car fleet drivers, and employees using their own cars for company business. In addition the Highways Agency will be presenting on their new safety framework, plus a second presentation from Tyresure, who will provide a briefing about impending legislative changes regarding tyre pressure monitoring systems (TPMS).

Attendance at the event is free and you can get further information and registration details by calling TyreSafe on 01787 226995.

TyreSafe

TyreSafe, the not-for-profit tyre safety organisation, has issued a recent update to its caravan tyre safety leaflet which provides updated axle load and tyre pressure tables. They have been in consultation with tyre manufacturers and caravan manufacturers to compile the new recommendations.

The new leaflet provides simple advice for caravan owners and updated tyre pressure tables. With high levels of stress placed on caravan tyres, it is vital that your tyre pressures are correct and that the maximum vehicle load should not exceed 90% of the combined tyre load capacity, as indicated by the load index.

The leaflet is now available free of charge off the TyreSafe website

Bike Tyre Safety Month

TyreSafe, the not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving tyre safety, is launching their Bike Tyre Safety Month in April, to help keep riders safe and legal on the roads this spring.

Many bikers will be embarking on their first bike ride of the year, now spring is upon us, and it is a particularly important time to check for defective, worn or under-inflated tyres.

There will be campaign posters being used to promote free tyre safety checks and there is a range of free promotional material of the campaign, available off the TyreSafe website.

TyreSafe is also calling on all tyre retailers and dealerships to participate in the campaign, to remind and educate drivers about the importance of tyre safety, so if you want to call them for further information, the number is 01787 226955.

Van operator

TyreSafe, the not-for-profit organisation dedicated to raising awareness of defective or worn tyres, is warning light and commercial operators about overloading their vehicles. The latest VOSA effectiveness report has shown that LGV overloading increased from 66.9 percent in 2008/9 to 72.7 per cent in 2009/10.

TyreSafe is concerned that if van operators do not compensate for this by adjusting tyre pressures accordingly, then the tyres will wear out quicker, fuel consumption may increase and the safety of the vehicle may be compromised.

In order to help van drivers and operators understand the importance of tyre safety, TyreSafe has just launched a new dedicated van tyre safety section on its website. This includes hints and tips as well as a free downloadable van tyre safety leaflet.

The website is www.tyresafe.org

Winter tyres

A recent report in Auto Express magazine claimed that some insurers regard the fitting of winter tyres as a vehicle modification resulting in higher car insurance premiums for drivers. TyreSafe, the UK’s leading tyre safety organisation is concerned at this news.

Stuart Jackson, chairman, TyreSafe, said,”To penalise drivers for taking a positive step to improve their safety on the road seems absurd. With the high number of drivers still being killed or injured in tyre related accidents each year, we should be actively encouraging responsible behaviour such as the fitting of winter tyres”.

Even if you choose not to fit winter tyres it is important to check your tyres for tread depth and for any signs of cuts, embedded objects (nails, stones etc) and bulges on the sidewall. The legal limit for tread depth is 1.6mm across the central three quarters of the tyre around its entire circumference and a simple test can be conducted using a 20p coin.

TyreSafe has also added a new dedicated section to its website on winter tyres along with an updated leaflet that can be downloaded free of charge.

20p test is easy

The October tyre safety month (organised by TyreSafe) has received the backing of the Highways Agency for the first time. TyreSafe is the UK’s leading tyre safety organisation and the October campaign aims to educate drivers about the importance of checking tyre tread depth.

The tyre tread depth test is really easy and all you need is a 20p coin which you insert into the main grooves of the tyre and if the rim of the coin is covered by the tread, then this indicates the tyre has sufficient tread depth and is safe and legal. If you have any concerns or questions on the test there is a campaign movie on the TyreSafe website.

Current UK law requires car tyres to have a minimum of 1.6mm of tread depth across the central three-quarters of the tyre, around its entire circumference. If you have an unsafe tyre you risk a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty points for each illegal tyre, so if in doubt get them checked at your local tyre retailer or do the test yourself.

Stuart Jackson, chairman of Tyresafe, said,”We are delighted to receive the support of the Highways Agency at this critical time of the year. As we approach the wettest months of the year, it is important that drivers have adequate tread depth to stay safe and legal. The Agency’s involvement will provide some additional authority to the campaign messages and through their network of partners, will help us educate even more drivers than ever before”.

If you run a company car fleet of vehicles you also have a duty of care responsibility to ensure your company fleet is safe and roadworthy. Free campaign materials are available again off the TyreSafe website or you can call the campaign hotline on 0845 301 6852 for further information.

TyreSafe iPhone app

TyreSafe, the not-for-profit organisation dedicated to raising awareness about tyre safety, has just launched a new iPhone app. The new app allows you to input your vehicle registration number and then details the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended tyre pressure settings, in both psi and bar.

The new app has been launched as part of October’s tyre safety month and having the correct tyre pressure in your vehicles’s tyres is important to stability, safety of the vehicle and improves fuel economy.

Stuart Jackson, chairman, TyreSafe commented,”Many drivers tell us that they don’t check their tyre pressures because they are unsure of the correct settings. The new TyreSafe iPhone app completely removes this problem and instantly provides drivers with their car’s tyre pressure information”.