Recession Pressure a Safety Worry, Says Bridgestone

Manufacturer warns of the dangers of bowing to economic forces at the expense of tyre safety checks

Bridgestone has released a plea to drivers not to allow their tread depth to drop below the legal limit, a trend that could be on the rise while the economy continues to flatline. With many cars on the vacation trail during the summer months, concerns that drivers are trying to save cash by keeping their tyres going past the legal 1.6mm tread depth limit are increasingly common. Bridgestone’s European research study of more than 100,000 drivers showed that 10.3 per cent of checked cars were fitted with tyres worn beyond the legal limit. The dangerous consequences of this are well documented and include serious loss of grip in wet road conditions and an increased risk of puncture at speed on the motorway.

A recent report from Touring Mobilis – an online traffic service of the Belgian Automobile Club and breakdown service, “Touring” – noted a 30 per cent increase in tyre punctures in 2008 compared to the same period in 2006. It stated that in response to current economic difficulties, motorists appeared to be postponing the purchase of new tyres and driving for too long on worn treads. 

In the UK, tyres were the second main cause of breakdown for the AA with 331,000 call-outs during 2008. Bridgestone is concerned that the figure reveals that motorists could be prepared to take more risks in order to save money. “Leaving changing your tyres to the last minute is a false economy,” says Bridgestone’s senior analyst Andy Dingley. “Driving with tyres below the legal limit could involve a fine of up to £2,500 and three points per tyre.  At worst those tyres could cause an accident, putting not only the driver and passengers at risk, but also other road users.”

Bridgestone is keen to point out the importance of the message this week as millions of Britons take to the roads on holiday, especially as cash-strapped holidaymakers spend their holidays in the UK. Working in conjunction with the international FIA Foundation, Bridgestone’s Think Before You Drive programme also identified that 26 per cent of drivers run on under-inflated tyres. Almost all of these motorists are unaware of the adverse consequences of their behaviour – to their safety, to their fuel budget and to the environment.

The first consequence of low tyre pressure is that it puts safety at risk. Deflation leads to a loss of handling control, increased vehicle drift, and lower tyre durability due to the stress and heat build-up from tyre sidewall bending. The increased weight of holiday baggage, extra passengers and a caravan or boat in tow adds to the potentially dangerous situation. Low tyre pressure hits holiday-makers’ pockets. It not only increases tyre rolling resistance, pushing up fuel consumption, but also increases tread wear, thus reducing the life of the tyre. Tyre wear life is halved if pressure falls from 2.2 bar to 1.0 bar.

Bridgestone’s Technical Centre Europe, based near Rome in Italy, calculates that the motorists who routinely drive on under-inflated tyres use more fuel than they need to – equivalent to 3.9 billion litres of extra fuel a year worth 5.1 billion Euros. They also emit an extra 9.2 million tons of CO2 into the atmosphere.