Driving tests could soon be available from branches of Halfords under plans announced by Road Safety Minister Mike Penning. As well as using traditional driving test centres, the Driving Standards Agency (DSA) is looking at working with public and private sector partners to provide driving test premises in selected areas that don't already have a local test centre.
Kwik Fit has identified a weak link in the tyre pressure monitoring systems fitted to modern vehicles – and that weak link is, it appears, you and I. The retail network commissioned a study to investigate motorist responses to vehicle warning lights – and discovered that almost a half of all drivers don’t know what a tyre pressure warning light means.
Hello tyre label, and welcome. As of this week, the roll out of the European tyre label begins in earnest as manufacturers, wholesalers and retailers count down the final four months before its compulsory implementation.
Green Flag Breakdown Service wish to remind motorists that as of July 1st France is taking a new approach in battling drink driving by legally requiring every driver, including visitors from the UK and elsewhere, to carry a single-use breathalyser kit.
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has urged greater focus on road safety following the publication of annual casualty figures which show the first increase in UK road deaths since 2003.
The figures for 2011 for Great Britain, released by the Department for Transport, show that road deaths rose by three per cent from 1,850 in 2010 to 1,901 in 2011.
Child deaths rose by nine per cent from 55 in 2010 to 60 in 2011, which is particularly disappointing given that the two previous years showed substantial reductions in child deaths. The number of seriously injured children fell by four per cent to 2,352 in 2011. At 19,474, the overall number of child casualties (killed, seriously injured and slightly injured) barely changed between 2010 and 2011.
There were 453 pedestrian deaths in 2011, a rise of 12 per cent from 2010 and the number of seriously injured pedestrians increased by five per cent to 5,454.
At the recent Tyre Recovery Association annual dinner, held at the Ardencote Hotel, Warwickshire, TyreSafe honoured the winners of its outstanding achievement accolade for 2012. Chris Downes from Chandlers BMW and Phil Barrow from Sussex Police were present to receive the award on behalf of their respective organisations. The award announcement came hot on the heels of news that Sussex Police has signed up as an official TyreSafe supporter.
Halfords Autocentres has signed a deal with Cam Systems to implement its customer-facing tyre labelling programme across its 260 plus centres. Cam says its system will enable the network to address the EU legislation efficiently, while communicating a high quality, interactive image to motorists. The MIDaS based platform will allow the retailer to print out all the legal tyre label credentials on customer invoice documentation and deliver an option to present the tyre’s labelling characteristics – particularly to deal with the legislation’s “pre offer” stipulations – at point of sale and via the internet.
After studying 2,000 drivers, Continental Tyres drew the conclusion that half of all motorists no longer enjoy driving – and a key reason for this lack of love is the threat of road rage. The study also revealed that around 15 per cent of those surveyed – a number representing five million motorists – have got out of their car to confront another driver.
HiQ has launched its latest safety project for motorists: a bespoke new safety guide pack. The fast-fit network says it has invested £30,000 into the guides, which include a suite of information bulletins in one ‘handy’ pack. The network says the guides have been produced based on motorists’ feedback. It aims to cover drivers’ needs, explaining everything there is to know about keeping tyres and cars in the best possible condition comprehensively. Covering everything from the hazards associated with buying part worn tyres and winter driving tips to fuel efficiency and battery care, the guides simplify tyre and car care, as well as providing useful motoring reference material.
Careless drivers will be targeted under new proposals announced for consultation by Road Safety Minister Mike Penning. The proposals would make fixed penalty notices available for careless driving, giving the police greater flexibility in dealing with less serious careless driving offences and freeing them from resource intensive enforcement processes. The fixed penalty will also enable the police to offer educational training as an alternative to endorsement. Drivers would still be able to appeal any decision in court.
The Royal euphoria surrounding the Queen's Diamond Jubilee celebrations could well spill over to the DVLA Personalised Registrations auction which gets underway at City Hall, London, on Thursday (June 7).
Earlier this year, Dunlop announced the launch of a new European breed of sports tyres with the introduction of its Sport Maxx RT (Racing Technology). This road tyre, which Dunlop says was designed especially for the driving enthusiast, aims to “deliver to the needs of the continent’s most passionate driving aficionados”, motorists who “savour the feeling of being in control of significant horsepower and dream of being in pole position at some of the world’s most prestigious races.”
Pirelli has more than 125 years of technical excellence and innovation under its belt and for many years its focus has been on the premium and performance end of the market. The furthest evolution in its current high performance P Zero range is the P Zero Corsa System. With a directional tread pattern for front axle fitment and an asymmetric pattern for the rear axle, this tyre is designed for both road and track. Paired with a racing tread compound, P Zero Corsa System is viewed as ideal for the most powerful cars in the ultra high performance sector.
A woman wearing a brightly coloured outfit that may or may not be “Her Majesty the Queen” has issued motorists with a Bank Holiday safety message on a recent visit to HiQ Tamworth. With the jubilee weekend celebrations coming this weekend, “Elizabeth” visited HiQ – minus Philip and her corgis – to urge drivers to get free safety checks ahead of their Bank Holiday journeys. The royal appointment was organised in an attempt to educate motorists about the importance of regular vehicle health checks, and the HiQ-ueen recorded a video for her subjects on the matter: http://youtu.be/MvrCjer-88A.
Noting the changeable British climate in the month of May alone, Bridgestone UK has once again suggested the benefit of fitting its A001 Weather Control all season tyre. In recent months the unpredictable weather has left motorists battling vastly contrasting conditions in short periods of time. In extreme cases drivers have had to deal with weather ranging from heavy rain, sun, even hail and snow during the same journey. The last week’s hot weather replaced an unusually cold early May, with hail stones battering the Tyrepress.com office window in Stoke-on-Trent earlier in the month.
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