Are you aware of the UK’s annual Tyre Safety Month? If you’re not, now’s the time take an interest. Taking place every October, this event is organised by TyreSafe, the leading tyre safety charity. It’s designed to raise awareness amongst motorists of all ages on the importance of having good tyres fitted to their vehicle, ongoing tyre maintenance, and the pitfalls that can befall those drivers who fit bad tyres.
As a leading tyre expert and provider, Asda Tyres are a totally committed supporter of TyreSafe – in fact, we’re a Corporate Supporter. The same is true of leading premium tyre manufacturer, Continental, who, furthermore, are a member of the TyreSafe executive board. We’re both constantly active in ensuring that – when it comes to tyre safety – drivers are as informed as possible, and campaign vigorously on UK drivers’ behalf.
For 2018, Tyre Safety Month encourages drivers to Tune Into Tyre Safety, and get in the habit of checking their tyres regularly. The campaign offers useful insights and advice on the benefits of allocating some time each month to check tyres, including the potential problems associated with tyre damage, not maintaining the correct tyre pressures, and the importance of having good tread depth. TyreSafe’s 2018 campaign is supported by free to download leaflets, posters and infographics, and there’s even a catchy tyre safety video to view, inspired by the song, Get into the groove.
Tune Into Tyre Safety comes hot on the heels of TyreSafe’s Summer Driving campaign, and Department for Transport (DoT) data that reveals that the majority of tyre-related incidents occur in the month of July, closely followed by June. This has proved to be surprising, since previously, many within the industry had presumed that – due to the cold and changeable weather, and difficult road conditions – the most accident-prone period would typically be from October through to March. These results underline the importance of research and analysis that driver safety organisations, like TyreSafe, undertake on UK motorists behalf.
It also emphasises the need for drivers to inspect their tyres every month – without fail. You cannot – should not – take tyres for granted, particularly given the massive role they play in maintaining driver safety. As well as providing motorists with the opportunity to ensure that their pressures are correct, and also to inspect for any damage, regular checks help to ensure that tyre tread depth is sufficient to provide the necessary grip that’s needed to achieve shorter stopping distances.
Ensuring that you have good tread depth is essential for maintaining your driver safety. It’s these grooves that remove any water from between the tyre and the road. The more tread depth you have, the more efficiently water can be removed. The UK road legal minimum is just 1.6mm, but many tyre and road safety experts – including Asda Tyres and Continental – unequivocally believe that you should only drive on tyres that have at least 3mm of tread depth – almost double what the law allows for.
Continental believe this is so important that – unlike some tyre manufacturers – they include tread wear indicators (TWIs) at both the legal minimum depth of 1.6mm, and their recommended 3mm mark. This makes it simpler for drivers to identify when their tread depth is running low, as part of their regular monthly tyre inspection. These TWIs come as standard on all of Continental’s series 5 and later premium tyres.
It’s just one of numerous tyre safety initiatives that Continental undertake across the world, along with their support of TyreSafe, and Tyre Safety Month 2018. Both of these leading tyre safety advocates will continue their shared mission to help keep the UK’s motorists safer continue at Continental’s Vision Zero Live events, which are taking place across the UK this autumn.
Vision Zero is Continental’s global drive to achieve zero fatalities, zero injuries and zero accidents on the world’s roads. It’s a lofty ambition, and one that won’t happen overnight, but – as providers of not only tyres but mechanical and electronic automotive safety systems to the world’s leading vehicle manufacturers – only Continental knows the entire braking process in every detail – from pedal to tyre.
Continental is committed to making driving safer for UK motorists, and is leading many initiatives – many through TyreSafe – on road safety relating to tyres, such as the effects of tread depth on stopping distances, and the need for regular tyre checks and maintenance.