Halfords’ Tyre Safety video game, 20,000 Miles in Two Minutes, launched in October for tyre safety month, was aimed to test driver’s knowledge and raise awareness around tyre safety standards. As of today, the game has been played over 7,000 times, revealing that many drivers lacked basic safety knowledge.
In August 2021, DVSA wrote to stakeholders to consult on its proposals to increase most DVSA statutory fees by 1.5 per cent. The results are now in and the headline news is that more than two-thirds supported the incremental statutory fee increase.
Tyres are all the same right? Wrong. They all look round and black, but there’s a lot more to them than meets the eye. Whether diggers, trucks, tractors, motorcycles or cars, most vehicles need tyres.
The Department for Transport (DfT) has launched a consultation on proposals to set up a Road Collision Investigation Branch (RCIB), which would operate much like the similar independent bodies that already exist for air, maritime and rail accidents. The consultation, which has been published on gov.uk, will run until 9 December.
TyreSafe has calculated that UK motorists waste more than £600 million worth of fuel due to tyre underinflation. Using data from Michelin’s Fill Up With Air survey showing that 57 per cent of vehicles are driven on underinflated tyres, as well as information sourced from the Department for Transport and the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, TyreSafe is tying the economic argument for ensuring tyres are correctly inflated alongside safety concerns for this year’s Tyre Safety Month. Referring both to the general awareness of tyres as a vital safety component and rhetorically to question why drivers would not check their tyres at least once a month, his year’s October campaign asks Britain’s motorists directly: “What’s Stopping You?”
Only one in six drivers remembered to check their tyre pressure before setting off on a long journey, according to research commissioned by Highways England. Yet one in five motorway breakdowns are caused by worn or incorrectly inflated tyres and nearly a third of drivers confessed that they’re not confident checking tyre pressure.
On 1 February 2021, new legislation banning tyres aged over 10 years on the front steered axles of lorries, buses and coaches along with all single wheels of minibuses (9-16 passengers seats) came into force. The ban also includes horseboxes over 3.5 tonnes.
Michelin is partnering with Arity, a mobility and data analytics company founded by American insurance company The Allstate Corporation, to develop data-powered solutions for transportation departments and city authorities, with the aim of improving road safety across the USA. This partnership will combine the expertise of Michelin Driving Data to Intelligence (DDI), who are the Michelin Group’s in-house data analysis boffins, with Arity’s database. This database, which contains nearly 100 million consumer connections, is said to be the largest repository of driving behaviour data in the world.
TyreSafe is urging riders to remember tyre safety as part of The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) THINK BIKE week. The campaign, which runs from 23 April to 3 May, is being spearheaded by Fire and Rescue Services across the country and 40 partner agencies, including TyreSafe. THINK BIKE highlights the need for riders to wear the right kit and ‘brush up’ on their riding skills as so many will have had an exceptionally long time out of the saddle due to Lockdown. Another key message is on bike maintenance and ensuring machines are in good roadworthy condition, especially the tyres.
Based on claims trends following previous UK lockdowns, insurer NFU Mutual is expecting a sharp increase in accidents from next week. This is when self-contained holiday accommodation lets, non-essential retail, personal care, outdoor hospitality and indoor leisure venues are scheduled to open to the public on 12 April. Claims to NFU Mutual for car accidents increased sharply by 22 per cent over the late May Bank Holiday last year, shortly after lockdown was eased on May 11. Car accident claims also increased by 12 per cent over the Christmas period compared with previous weeks, prompting the insurer to advise caution on the roads. The prediction comes alongside 1 in 4 drivers admitting they are feeling nervous about making long journeys once lockdown restrictions are lifted.
Uswitch, the comparison website, recently commissioned a survey among UK motorists to test their knowledge of the rules concerning when headlights should be switched on. Says Joel Kempson, Personal Finance Writer and car insurance expert at Uswitch; “With the days getting longer, and restrictions easing, we’ll soon be hopping back into our cars for the first time in months. And although they say driving is like riding a bike – you never forget – there are some things that do slip our minds.”
New research released today (31 March) reveals that the impact of the pandemic has resulted in the average driver reducing their mileage by 42 per cent over the last year. However, there has not been an equivalent drop in the amount of pothole damage to the nation’s vehicles.
As winter sets in, we are reminded that, not only is December the season to be jolly, but it is also the season to beware of potholes. Research by Opinium of more than 2,000 UK motorists, on behalf of InsuretheGap.com, has revealed that one in four (29 per cent) have damaged their car on speedhumps or potholes, rising to almost one in three (32 per cent) in rural areas. With standing water making it extremely difficult to distinguish between a mere surface puddle and a deep and potentially vehicle-damaging gaping hole in the road, these figures are sure to rise during the coming winter months.
TyreSafe’s Tyre Safety Month 2020 campaign is themed on movies. Its latest cinematic pastiche is designed to remind drivers to check their tyre tread regularly. The advice is communicated via the ‘TyreFlix production,’ Judge Tread. The organisation’s annual October campaign focuses on encouraging drivers to ensure their tyres are Ready for ACTion by checking Air pressure, Condition and Tread. Watch the video, and other campaign content, below, or on the TyreSafe YouTube channel.
A new YouGov survey commissioned by Protyre suggests that over 30 per cent of parents could be using dangerous tyres to ferry around their children. The online survey marks this year’s Tyre Safety Month campaign from TyreSafe and its members. Simon Hiorns, Protyre retail director, said that the findings “raise concerns about how much the public are taking on board the importance of tyre safety.” He added that the company wants to “remind parents and motorists generally that tyre safety is just as important as things like seat belts and child car seats.” Protyre also revealed that the proportion of tyres demounted at its branches below the legal tread depth continues to be above 50 per cent. This, it states, shows that the need for tyre professionals to communicate the importance of checking tyre safety remains high.
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Halfords
Jan Kopriva
Pixabay
Highways England
Wikimedia; Barnet Engineer; CC-SA 3.0
TyreSafe
TyreSafe
Protyre