Professional drivers the focus of dedicated TyreSafe mini-site
Businesses and company car drivers wishing to become better informed about fleet tyre safety can now do so at a new dedicated section on TyreSafe’s www.tyresafe.org website.
Central to the section is advice on how implementing a robust tyre can lower vehicle running costs and increased driver safety. Advice is given on how organisations can go about implementing a tyre maintenance policy. Other information to be found within the section includes the legal requirements businesses and those driving for work need to know when it comes to tyre safety, such as how to check tyres for the correct air pressure and tread depth.
“With business drivers spending a large amount of time behind the wheel, it’s imperative that their tyres are safe and legal,” commented TyreSafe chairman Stuart Jackson. “Companies that correctly maintain their tyres can significantly reduce their fuel bills and enjoy safer driving for their staff. I would strongly urge all businesses, fleet managers and individual company drivers to take a look at our online-fleet information, if only that it might help them cut their fuel bills.”
The savings can add up; TyreSafe shares member-supplied information that indicates driving a car with tyres under-inflated by 20 per cent will reduce fuel economy by three per cent through higher rolling resistance. But more importantly, an under-inflated tyre can significantly compromise the car’s handling, even when reduced by just 6 psi, a level TyreSafe says is the ‘typical’ amount.
TyreSafe notes that illegal, defective or under-inflated tyres were a contributory factor in accidents involving 1,200 road casualties last year, and the onus is on business owners and drivers to ensure their tyres are properly maintained. The introduction of the Corporate Manslaughter Act in 2008 means businesses can no longer afford to ignore the impact of driving in relation to health and safety in the workplace, TyreSafe comments. Furthermore, under the Health and Safety Offences Act introduced in 2009, UK courts now have an even greater authority to prosecute businesses for committing offences such as fitting illegal tyres or faulty brakes. The maximum penalty is now £20,000.
“Businesses and individual drivers have a responsibility to check their tyres. Both face the prospect of harsh fines for driving with illegal tyres but more importantly drivers risk being involved in a serious accident,” added Jackson.
TyreSafe recommends inspecting tyres at least once a month or before any long journey. This includes checking the air pressure, tread depth and overall condition.
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