19 October 2007
Vehicle owners are being urged to ensure their tyres are up to standard, following a national road safety survey which revealed that state almost three quarters of all cars on UK roads have under-inflated tyres with a further quarter of those found to have at least one tyre that is either balding or has an illegal tread depth of below 1.6mm.
The research, commissioned by independent charity TyreSafe, backs recent
Government statistics which showed that under-inflated or defective tyres are responsible for more than a third of all road crashes resulting in injury.
These figures come ahead of Tyre Safety Month which kicked off on October 1 and runs throughout the month. The first nationwide campaign of its kind to be promoted by the tyre industry in Britain is being launched prior to the winter months when road conditions deteriorate due to wet and icy weather.
Motoring journalist and presenter of Channel 5’s Fifth Gear motoring programme, Vicki Butler-Henderson is also backing the campaign. She explains: “Drivers are clearly not aware of the dangers of driving a car with severely under- inflated tyres. I have recently been testing cars with under-inflated and worn tyres and the combination is potentially deadly.
“In a skid you become a passenger and the consequences are possible serious injury to yourself, your passengers and other road users. I would encourage all drivers to regularly check their tyres for tread depth and pressure. Your life may depend upon it!”
Motorists are being encouraged to take advantage of the free tyre pressure and safety checks offered at participating tyre retailers, garages and franchise throughout the four week period.
Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick comments: “Keeping tyres at the right pressure is not only vital for staying safe on the road, it also makes the car more environmentally friendly and helps save on fuel costs.
“Under inflated tyres create more resistance when your car is moving, which means that your engine has to work harder, so more fuel is used and more CO2 emissions are produced. I welcome this initiative and urge motorists to take advantage of the free tyre safety and pressure checks being offered by participating tyre retailers.”
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