TYRE SAFETY
The Northern Ireland Tyre Safety Association (NITSA) in partnership with the PSNI and the National Tyre Distributors’ Association (NTDA) has announced that the 2014 Tyre Safety Week will take place from 6 – 12 October. This year’s Tyre Safety Week campaign is focusing on educating the public of the potential dangers of old tyres and urging people to check their tyres.
Remember, remember the fifth of November…TyreSafe has issued a reminder to tyre retailers, manufacturers, car companies and other organisations with an involvement in tyre safety to submit their entries into this year’s TyreSafe awards ahead of the 5 November deadline.
Cheshire’s police force has joined the county’s Fire and Rescue Service as a member of TyreSafe, months after the latter emergency service was made TyreSafe’s 2013 emergency services award winner. “We are delighted to welcome Cheshire Police on board and look forward to developing some highly effective initiatives with them,” comments Stuart Jackson, chairman, TyreSafe.
The ever-swelling ranks of TyreSafe gathered at St Johns Hotel, Solihull to launch the 2014 edition of Tyre Safety Month. Chairman Stuart Jackson, enthusiastically wielding an enlarged coin, demonstrated the well-established 20p test during his introduction of the “driving rain, driving safe” theme; the test is particularly relevant to this year’s tread depth focused theme of aquaplaning. In 2013 tyre pressure took centre stage, but with 2013-14 being the wettest winter on record, and October usually the wettest month of the year anyway, TyreSafe has chosen to present a core message informing drivers of the importance of tread depth in combating what is arguably the most spectacular and frightening road safety phenomenon – in addition to reinforcing other messages, such as pressure, Jackson adds.
Entries for the second annual TyreSafe awards are now open, and interested parties have until 5 November to nominate organisations that help reduce tyre related road casualties for a 2014 honour.
The campaign for tighter laws on aged tyres has taken another step forward with the presentation of a Bill in the House of Commons calling for a maximum age limit for tyres fitted to public service vehicles. The Ten Minute Rule Bill was introduced by Liverpool Walton MP Steve Rotherham yesterday, and although approval is by no means certain it achieves the important aim of increasing awareness of the dangers aged tyres can pose. Per the Bill, operating a public service vehicle with tyres that are ten or more years old would become an offence; this age limit would be enforced by Traffic Commissioners, and tyre age checked and recorded during the annual vehicle test. Rotherham also stated that the Bill would accommodate tyre manufacturers’ ongoing research, and the proposed maximum age limit could thus “easily be increased” should evidence verify that a newly-developed bus or coach tyre was “demonstrably safe” beyond ten years of age.
Frances Molloy, a prominent tyre legislation campaigner, has been announced as a speaker at October’s Brityrex International’s TyreTalk seminars. Molloy, who is chief executive of Health@Work and chair of Liverpool Community Health NHS Trust, has been lobbying the UK government to change the law on the sale and fitting of overage tyres following the death of her 18-year old son alongside the driver and another passenger in an accident caused by the blowout of a second-hand 19.5-year old tyre.
TyreSafe has continued to spread its reach to all parts of the extended automotive sector by signing Evans Halshaw as its latest member. One of the UK’s largest dealer groups, Evans Halshaw’s 120 sites across England, Scotland and Wales will now have access to a wide range of tyre safety information and advice for use within its outlets, helping to keep its customers informed and safe on the road.
Today marks the start of New Zealand’s inaugural Tyre Awareness Week. The initiative is driven by government agencies, tyre makers and industry bodies and aims to encourage motorists to check tread depth and condition, and to maintain tyres at the correct pressure. NZ Tyre Awareness Week is supported by a dedicated website, www.tyresafety.org.nz.
Stuart Jackson has been re-elected as the chairman of not-for-profit road safety campaign group TyreSafe. He enters his third term as the organisation’s head since 2010. “I’m honoured to have been re-elected by my colleagues to such a fantastic and worthwhile position,” comments Stuart Jackson, chairman, TyreSafe.
The National Farmers Union Mutual Insurance Society Limited, or NFU Mutual for short, is the latest organisation to join TyreSafe. Following the example set by Adrian Flux Insurance Services two years ago, NFU mutual is the second insurer to join the tyre safety organisation; in total, TyreSafe now boasts some 70 members from a diverse range of sectors including tyre manufacturers and retailers, car manufacturers, emergency services, local councils and fleet operators.
Toyo Tires has become the latest tyre manufacturer to join TyreSafe. The manufacturer said that it would campaign alongside TyreSafe’s other members from a wide variety of sectors, including councils and insurers as well as companies within the tyre industry, to help raise awareness about the dangers associated with illegal and defective tyres. The manufacturer added that it would seek to enhance its tyre safety message with TyreSafe’s help.
TyreSafe has circulated an image that highlights the lack of attention some drivers pay to their tyres. The safety organisation received a photo of a highly illegal and dangerous tyre from an independent tyre dealer, who removed it from a customer’s high BMW 3-Series, and has used it as a reminder of the importance of checking tread depth and tyre condition. As can be seen from the accompanying photo, the tyre was so worn that none of its tread pattern remained, making it virtually useless in the wet. Furthermore, the wear was so great on one shoulder of the tyre that the integrity of the tyre’s carcass had been compromised, with potentially fatal high speed consequences.
Blackcircles.com has become the latest tyre firm to share its experience of how the adoption of tyre labelling is (or isn’t) affecting the purchase choices motorists are making. According to Blackcircles’ sales data, consumers are definitely using the EU Tyre Labels when deciding which tyres to purchase. Additionally, data collated by Blackcircles.com suggests shows that tyre safety is of more importance to motorists than fuel efficiency.
TyreSafe shares that Falken Tyre Europe GmbH is the latest tyre maker to sign up as a member. Punning the avian ring to the tyre maker’s name, the tyre safety organisation’s chairman commented that “it’s fantastic news to welcome Falken to the TyreSafe nest thanks to the sterling work they’re already doing.”
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