TyreSafe has launched Tyre Safety Month 2017 with a warning that more than half of the tyres on Britain’s cars and vans could be under-inflated.
The annual event runs throughout October and this year aims to highlight the importance of correct tyre pressure by asking drivers ‘are you having a good or bad air day?’.
The campaign, which also stresses the negative financial implications of under-inflated tyres, encourages drivers to check their tyre pressures at least once a month, and before long journeys.
Stuart Jackson, chairman of TyreSafe, says it is ‘remarkable how many motorists don’t ensure the pressures are correct for the vehicle and the load it is carrying’.
The not-for-profit tyre safety awareness organisation points to research which suggests that a ‘shocking’ 35% of tyres are being driven at least 8psi below the vehicle manufacturers’ recommendation.
TyreSafe says at this level of underinflation tyres are more vulnerable to damage and wear more quickly, and the vehicle is more difficult to control.
Its research also shows that when pressures are 7psi below the recommended setting, this can halve the amount of tyre in contact with the road – which TyreSafe says can be ‘especially dangerous’ in the wet as the chances of aquaplaning are significantly increased.
The research suggests that Britain’s motorists could be spending as much as £600m a year on ‘unnecessary’ fuel bills – as a result of higher levels of consumption caused by driving below recommended inflation limits.
Stuart Jackson said: “Keeping tyres properly inflated is easy to do, keeps drivers and other road users safe, and saves money. It’s a win-win situation so it’s remarkable how many motorists don’t ensure the pressures are correct for the vehicle and the load it is carrying.
“Tyre Safety Month is the ideal time to start the routine of ensuring every driving day is a good air day.”
Courtesy of Road Safety GB