Keep Safe Over Winter with Kwik-Fit

As more people are killed and injured on Britain’s roads in the final months of each year than at any other time it is imperative that vehicles are maintained in tip-top condition in the winter months. With the onset of freezing driving conditions, fog and wet roads, Kwik-Fit Fleet has once again launched its annual free five-point vehicle check.

The free winter safety checks are available at Kwik-Fit centres nationwide and they cover:
Tyre check – pressures, tread depth and general condition (including spare)
Battery check – using electronic test equipment
Exhaust check – condition and fitment including hangers and brackets
Tracking check – visual check to determine if the tyres show related wear
Glass/wipers check – condition of vehicle glass and wipers

Road casualty figures from the Department for Transport reveal that last year a total of 303 people were killed on the UK’s roads in October, 279 people in November and 310 people in December – the worst month for road deaths in 2006. Together with road deaths in January and February last year – 242 and 250 respectively – the five months accounted for 43 per cent of all fatalities. In addition, the last three months of the year traditionally account for more people being injured in road traffic accidents than in any other three-month period. In 2006, a total of 68,225 people were injured in the last three months of the year – 27 per cent of the total number of people injured on Britain’s roads last year.

“The importance of companies managing occupational road risk has continued to increase in recent years,” said Mike Wise, head of Kwik-Fit Fleet. The onset of winter invariably means driving conditions worsen with visibility often poor and roads frequently icy. It is therefore vital that vehicles are in tip-top condition. A failure by drivers to ensure their vehicle’s safety-related equipment is in a first-class condition could be the difference between life and death.

“Kwik-Fit Fleet is a health and safety-focused company and in recent years has launched a range of initiatives to help businesses improve their fleet safety performance including mobile tyre checks and brake checks and more recently glass repair. We would encourage all company car and van drivers to have their vehicles checked out by one of our trained technicians.”