If your tyres don’t work, neither will your braking & steering

We’re in the final week of Tyre Safety Month, and TyreSafe is reminding Britain’s motorists that no matter what safety technology their vehicle is equipped with, it won’t work unless their tyres are roadworthy.

Being the only part of a vehicle that should be in contact with the road, tyres determine how well a vehicle stops and steers. Tyres’ primary role is to provide grip – if a vehicle does not have any grip on the road, pressing the brake pedal or turning the steering wheel will have no effect. All safety technologies ultimately depend on steering and braking control but the role tyres play in transferring those inputs to the road is often overlooked.

The simple fact that if your tyres don’t work, your braking and steering won’t underlines the importance of checking the condition of this most important of safety components. Regular checks reduce the risks of an incident.

A timely reminder

With the winter months approaching, with more challenging driving conditions, TyreSafe’s Tyre Safety Month campaign this October is a timely reminder to drivers to check the condition of their tyres at least once a month and before long journeys.

Tyres should be examined frequently, removing stones or other embedded objects from the tread. If the tyre has lumps or bulges it must be examined by a tyre specialist since these could indicate internal damage. Drivers should remove any oil or grease with a suitable diluted detergent. Always seek the help of a professional if you are unsure about any aspect of your tyre’s condition.

The Tyre Safety Month campaign title What’s Stopping You? reminds the motorist of the benefits and importance of tyre checks and that tyres are crucial for safe and effective braking and cornering.

TyreSafe provides a wealth of resources, guidance and instructional videos to further assist drivers in performing checks on their tyres at home. These can be found at www.tyresafe.org/checks and on TyreSafe’s YouTube channel.

If you aren’t confident to carry out the checks yourself, or you can’t, all reputable tyre retailers will do it for you. Official retail supporters of TyreSafe can also be found via the ‘Supporter locator’ at tyresafe.org.

Monthly checks necessary

Stuart Jackson, TyreSafe chair, said: “This October’s Tyre Safety Month campaign places an additional spotlight on the crucial steps drivers should take to ensure their tyres are in good condition, but it extends beyond October. Drivers should perform these checks throughout the year – at least once a month, every month. You don’t need to be an expert to check a tyre’s condition – so What’s Stopping You?”

Those wishing to support this year’s campaigns will find a range of assets under the ‘For supporters’ section of tyresafe.org. Materials will include videos and images to be used on social media. Official TyreSafe supporters can access further assets, including customisable print-ready files, via the members’ area. To access this, supporters are asked to complete a registration form which theteam@tyresafe.org will approve. Then they simply use their login details to be able to download the materials, which can be customised with their organisation’s logo.