New research conducted by HiQ Tyres & Autocare on tyre changes in the UK has found that drivers in some areas of the UK are allowing their tyres to wear beyond the legal limit, with more than a third of tyres are worn past legal limit.
Changes to UN/ECE Regulation No. 117 (R117) came into effect on 1 July 2024 and extend the regulation to include limits related to the wet grip properties of worn tyres. Michelin, which has long advocated for tyres that are safe right down to the 1.6mm legal tread depth limit, expresses strong support for the updated R117-04. In a statement issued this week, the tyre maker praises R117-04 for its role in “guaranteeing better safety on the roads” while also “addressing the issues of protecting both the planet and the purchasing power of European motorists.”
TyreSafe is issuing new messaging to motorists with the Met Office forecasting the wettest summer on record. Proper tyre maintenance plays a critical role in these conditions, particularly ensuring adequate tread depth to prevent aquaplaning and ensure shorter braking distances. With 50 days of rain forecast over the next three months, TyreSafe is urging drivers to take proactive steps to ensure their safety on the roads. The short, sharp torrential summer downpours will lead to particularly hazardous driving environments, especially on motorways and dual carriageways.
With the May half term almost upon us, Bridgestone has issued a road safety plea to address a recent survey that indicates over a third of UK drivers neglect to check their tyres. Half may even be unaware of the legal tread limit.
UK tyre safety charity TyreSafe found that almost 18 per cent of van tyres were replaced with less than the legal minimum 1.6mm of tread depth in the 2023 Tread Depth Survey. Recognising the importance of vans as a critical asset to many business operations, tyre supplier Continental Tyres describes itself as a “passionate advocate for tyre safety” with “a longstanding legacy of helping to educate owners and operators about responsible tyre maintenance.” General manager – technical services, Steve Howat has answered a series of frequently asked questions to address important tyre maintenance topics amongst LCV operators.
Big Motoring World, an independent use car dealer, is using the TreadReader 3D DriveOver ramp system to “improve productivity and efficiency” at its national preparation centre in Peterborough.
Just over half of UK motorists check their tyre pressures at least once per month, according to research commissioned by Apollo Tyres. Of the 1,000 motorists polled, 15 per cent say they check their tyre pressures weekly, 11 per cent say once a fortnight, and 29 per cent once per month.
TyreSafe has started 2024 with a new social media campaign targeting a habitual change for improved road safety. Organised around the #DriveJanuary hashtag, a play on the famous #DryJanuary health and wellbeing initiative, the organisation is using the opportunity of people setting resolutions for the New Year to ask drivers to add monthly tyre checks to their list of behavioural changes. TyreSafe’s 2023 Tread Depth Survey reveals that almost half the UK cars on the road have low or illegal tread. For more detail, see our sister site for consumers, WhatTyre.
An estimated 6 million tyres on the road have illegal tread, according to TyreSafe’s recent Tread Depth Survey, meaning many drivers risk three penalty points and a fine, which can be up to a maximum of £2,500, for each defective or illegal tyre. As well as the risks posed by illegal tread on tyres, almost 542,287 drivers are just two tyres away from an automatic driving ban and almost 100,000 who have nine points are just a single tyre away, according to a recent IAM RoadSmart report. These numbers have risen recently – the number of drivers with nine points on their licence has risen 8 per cent in the last year – indicating an urgent need for drivers to pay closer attention to road safety both in their driving behaviour and attention to vehicle maintenance.
Over a third of UK drivers (40%) cannot confidently carry out a tyre tread check, according to new research by automotive marketplace eBay. The research, commissioned by eBay UK and conducted by Toluna, surveyed 2020 total respondents with driver’s licences carried out by Toluna in April 2023, found that more than half (53%) of 18 – 34-year-olds don’t know how to check that their tyre tread is within the legal limit. Apparently, older generations also lack confidence when it comes to tread depth checks, with more than a third of 35-54 year-olds revealing the same knowledge gap.
Anyline has launched commercial vehicle tyre tread scanning technology that can be used on any camera-enabled smartphone or mobile device. According to the company, the solution allows fleet operators to “improve tyre performance and longevity, ensure driver safety and reduce vehicle inspection time”.
Megaride Applied Vehicle Research has acquired tyre wear and integrity monitoring systems developed by Wriggle. The purchase continues Megaride’s recent expansion of technical know-how in the tyre technology sphere. No details relating to the nature of the investment associated with the acquisition have been released.
Breakdown organisation Gem Motoring Assist is urging motorists to make monthly tyre tread and pressure checks in support of TyreSafe’s Tyre Safety Month. Gem recommends a minimum tread depth of 3mm over and above the legal minimum of 1.6mm on the grounds of improved water displacement. Gem’s ‘How to’ guides include short videos on checking […]
Continental has demonstrated real-time tyre tread depth monitoring during a pilot project with Danish carsharing provider Share Now and telemetry specialist Traffilog. The project confirmed Continental’s ability to predict tyre tread depth in real-time to an accuracy within one millimetre.
Tyrata Inc. and Marubeni Corporation are collaborating in the distribution of Tyrata’s IntelliTread drive-over tread-depth reading system. Specifically, Marubeni will be introducing the technology to its customer base in Japan. Marubeni will begin selling units in Japan in the fourth quarter of 2020.
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