Summer Tyre Safety Checks

In our little tourist trap corner of Dorset, we are very accustomed to heavier traffic on the roads at this time of year. Coupled with the current heatwave, checking your tyres before setting off is even more important. 

As the summer holidays commence and multiple road user groups take to setting off on planned travels, Continental is urging motorists to be prepared for trips abroad or as part of the staycation trend, stressing the importance of tyre safety for all motorists.

As a corporate partner of TyreSafe, the UK road safety charity, Continental is supporting its summer campaign to raise awareness of the need for driver diligence over the summer. In the UK, a third of all tyre related incidents happen during the summer. With 57% of Britons 'staycationing' in the UK this year, TyreSafe aims to minimise tyre caused accidents – helping the UK public enjoy the sunshine this summer. Department for Transport data shows in the month of July tyre-related incidents are at their highest.

A combination of factors, from unexpected bad weather and drivers unfamiliar with country roads, to long journeys with fully-laden cars, means that summer driving carries with it a number of additional risks.

Mark Griffiths, safety expert at Continental Tyres, said:

"As part of our Vision Zero initiative which aims for zero accidents, injuries or fatalities on our roads – we are keen to make motorists aware of the small steps they can take to make their journey safer this summer.
"With a spell of good weather, it is easy to get a little complaisant in a way motorists might not be in the winter when they are braced for rain, snow and ice.
"It is vital that, whatever the season, people remain alert to changes in conditions and ensure that their tyres are in top condition.
"With school's now broken up for the holidays, and more than half of Britons planning on taking their 2018 summer holiday in the UK, these simple checks can help reduce the risk of an unwanted disruption."

While temperature records have been broken this year, in the UK it rains an average 156.2 days of the year, meaning drivers risk being caught off-guard when braking in a critical situation. On summer tyres, braking distances on wet roads at 60mph increase by as much as 15m – making it vital that drivers remain vigilant, checking they have adequate tread depth and correct inflation.

Think Bike!

A little change of pace now, as today's blog is all about motorcycles. 

Of course, we love all things motorcycle related here at Veloce – a number of the Velocisti regularly ride their bikes into work – so road safety is paramount to us. Sadly, a large number of motorcycle riders around the globe are involved in serious accidents annually, and with the weather getting warmer, it's even more crucial that we all THINK BIKE whilst out on the roads.

Locally, Dorset Police have launched a new campaign in order to encourage motorists to THINK BIKE on a more regular basis. This has involved putting up posters in 'hot spot' areas around the county where serious collisions have occurred involving motorcycle users. It is hoped that these signs will highlight that road users need to pay more attention to motorcycle users. You can see these posters on the following roads:

• B3059 Somerford Road, Christchurch
• A354 Weymouth Way
• A354 Portland Beach Road
• B3073 Christchurch Road between Dudbury and Wet Parley
• A30 Babylon Hill
• A31 just west of lake gates roundabout to just east of Merley roundabout
• A348 Ringwood Road near Langham
• A351 Sandford to Holten Heath

Further afield, Autotalks, the global leader in V2X (Vehicle to Everything) communication chipsets, has joined the Connected Motorcycle Consortium (CMC). Autotalks will work with other CMC members to help realise the vision of a uniform motorcycle platform for V2M (Vehicle-to-Motorcycle) communication. Specifically, Autotalks and other CMC members will work together to enhance Cooperative-Intelligent Transport Systems (C-ITS) applications in motorcycles in a way that will help minimise motorcycle accidents.

Autotalks' V2M solution is based on a second generation V2X chipset developed by the company, which allows motorcyclists and other drivers to receive alerts on life threatening situations, in order to avoid road accidents. The V2M enables detection of motorcycles that are not visible to the human eye, cameras, or other sensors. 

To highlight the importance of being aware of motorcycle users on the road, Autotalks' CEO Hagai Zyss points out:
 "Motorcycles have higher chances of being involved in a road traffic accident, meaning motorcycle users are at a greater risk of fatality. Studies show that in approximately one third of motorcycle accidents, the motorbike is not visible to the car driver. Autotalks is committed to minimising motorcycle accidents until there will be zero accidents on our roadways."

Whether you are a motorcycle rider or not, be sure to Think Bike when you are out on the roads!