Breakdown Service Spreads Tyre Safety Message

The public has heard it a number of times before, and from several authoritative sources, but the tyre safety message doesn’t seem to be one that readily sinks in. Now nationwide breakdown service Autonational Rescue has added its voice, urging motorists not to get “tyred out” when it comes to carrying out basic safety checks on their car.

“Tyres appear to be one of the most neglected areas of the vehicle but they can be either a life saver or killer in the wintry conditions we experience at this time of year,” comments marketing manager Ronan Hart. “They should be checked regularly for damage or any signs of wear and tear. It’s not sufficient to give them an occasional kick to check pressure or a cursory glance at the tread.”

The company advises drivers that self-inspection on newer tyres is a simple process, as straightforward as examining the wear strip moulded into the tyre’s grooves. Whether or not tread levels have reached the strip, and thus the legal tread depth limit, can be determined at a glance.

Autonational Rescue quotes statistics on stopping distances at 50 mph; 39.5 metres with the tread at 1.6mm, reducing to 31.7 metres with a 3mm tread. Furthermore, the company relates that perhaps an estimated 90 per cent of tyres are wrongly inflated and up to 10 per cent of cars have tyres either damaged or below the minimum 1.6 mm tread. “Just imagine the devastation that can be caused with every extra metre it takes to stop a vehicle,” comments Mr. Hart. “Faulty tyres can lead to fines of up to £2,500 and three points on the licence. They are one of the easiest components of a vehicle to check, so you should do it for yours and other road users’ safety.”