Bridgestone is issuing a road safety plea ahead of the May half term, after its latest survey revealed that over a third of drivers in the UK won’t think to check their tyres – and half don’t know the legal tread limit.
With many schools on half term and more families expected to embark on longer road trips, Bridgestone’s survey of 2,000 drivers highlighted a concerning disconnect between the acknowledged importance of tyre safety and the actual practices of vehicle owners.
The Bridgestone results tie in with a recording of 152 fatalities or serious accidents due to defective tyres in the last 12 months and there being an estimated 6.1 million illegal tyres on Britain’s roads each year.
In total, 50% of motorists were unaware of the legal tyre tread limit of 1.6mm, while 35% confessed to never thinking about checking their tyres at all. Of those motorists who did admit to checking their tyres, 61% said they do so less than once a month.
Encouragingly, the survey suggested that there is an awareness among motorists around the importance of tyre safety, even if best practices and good tyre husbandry aren’t being adhered to by the majority. Sixty-eight per cent of participants considered safety extremely important when purchasing new tyres, but 59% also said that price and value for money were extremely important factors in their decision making.
Bridgestone’s north region vice president, Andrea Manenti, said: “These survey results remind us of the need for increased education and awareness about tyre maintenance among British motorists,”
“While it’s heartening to see that a significant number of drivers acknowledge the importance of safety when buying new tyres, it’s equally important to ensure they are maintaining their tyres properly to keep themselves and others safe on the road.
“They are the only contact points between the car and the road surface, so a bit of time checking the treads and pressures can be all the difference between stopping safely and encountering a potentially dangerous incident.”
Bridgestone is committed to promoting tyre safety through a number of campaigns, including educational activities and free tyre check events.
