8 out of 10 drivers admit to never checking their car tyres
Wed, 27 Sept 2023
Bridgestone is warning driver's of the dangers of not regularly checking tyres following a survey that revealed 81% of motorists never check their car tyres.
Despite tyres serving as the sole point of contact between a vehicle and the road the majority of motorists do not rank them as highly as airbags in terms of importance. Only 14% of drivers questioned considering them the most critical safety feature on their vehicles.
As part of National Tyre Safety Month this October, driver's are being reminded of the dangers of driving with underinflated or defective tyres. There are 1075 casualties from defective tyre related accidents each year.
The survey also highlighted other concerning facts, with 54% of respondents unaware that driving on illegal tyres poses an extreme danger.
Only a third of motorists considered themselves well-informed on road safety matters and a mere 12% adhered to the recommended practice of checking their tyre treads once every two weeks.
An estimated 10 million illegal tyres are believed to be in use on British roads annually.
Bridgestone is launching a new campaign called 'Become a Bridgestone Road Safety Hero' where it plans to conduct hundreds of free tyre checks next month.
Their road safety team will be visiting Roadchef's Norton Caines Services on the M6 Toll on October 19, offering assistance to motorists. Similar activities are slated for the future.
"This research by Bridgestone reinforces the concerns we have on driver understanding and attitudes towards tyre safety," says Stuart Lovatt, TyreSafe Chair.
"Regrettably, road users often take their tyres granted for and don’t appreciate just how vital they are. Tyres are unique in being the one component which determines how well a vehicle accelerates, brakes and steers. We encourage them to remember to ACT – check Air pressure, Condition and Tread.”
Research shows that cars with budget tyres can require an additional 14 meters to come to a stop in wet conditions when driving at 70mph compared to those fitted with 'premium brand' tyres. Under-inflated tyres can significantly impact stopping distances, as can poorly maintained brakes.
