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.

DRIVEN TO DISTRACTION

British drivers only concentrate for two thirds of their time behind the wheel, according to a new study commissioned by Continental Tyres. Six in 10 people also admit to ‘zoning out’ whilst behind the wheel with a massive 59 per cent of drivers finding they forget parts of their journey. And over half (51 per cent) switch to ‘auto-pilot mode’ on their daily commute to and from work.



The survey of 4,000 motorists for Continental Tyres found that drivers were only fully concentrating on the road for 67 per cent of the time spent at the wheel. And tuning the radio, talking to passengers and gawping at the scenery topped the list of everyday distractions.

The research found the average driver is on the road for 45 minutes a day and that they are in their own little world for 17 minutes of this time. They make an average of three trips in their car each day. They are distracted at least three times on each journey and for at least four seconds each time. At just 40 mph a car will travel over 18 metres every second.

Some 27 per cent of respondents believe their short attention span is to blame for their poor driving – with more than four in 10 being disinterested in the road ahead and not being able to concentrate for more than 37 minutes. It also emerged 45 per cent have crashed or had a close call due to being distracted whilst behind the wheel.

TOP 20 DRIVING DISTRACTIONS
1. Re-tuning the radio/inserting a CD into the player
2. Talking to a passenger
3. Looking at scenery
4. Eating
5. Listening to loud music
6. Reaching into the glovebox
7. Looking at houses
8. Drinking
9. Other drivers in cars next to you
10. Passengers asking questions
11. Texting
12. Trying to unwrap a sweet
13. Talking on the mobile phone
14. Looking at a hot girl/bloke walking down the street/in another car
15. Shop windows
16. Kids in the back seat shouting, or playing up
17. Trying to read a map
18. SATNAV
19. Looking at billboards
20. Singing

Source:Continental Tyres

A lesson or ten in tyre safety

Motorists now have access to a set of ten easy-to-follow, digitally animated tyre safety lessons which can be found on the TyreSafe website. Findings from the organisation revealed that nearly 80 percent of cars on British roads are running with incorrect tyre pressures. The set of animations cover problems associated with poorly maintained or neglected tyres, such as premature wear, increased stopping distances or additional fuel costs. As well as giving a clear explanation of how to measure tyre pressure and tread depth, together with advice about tools and cost implications.

Confused by the numbers, letters, codes and symbols on a tyre sidewall?

Considering the tyre is arguably the most important safety component on a vehicle it's alarming that a large percentage of motorists have no idea what the symbols on a tyre sidewall denote. In an attempt to help address this problem, TyreSafe has just produced a leaflet entitled Car Tyres and Your Safety, available to download from www.tyresafe.org, which contains an illustration and a simple explanation of what all the symbols, letters and numbers on a tyre's sidewall actually mean.

Win a Car | I Won This Car competition - The next generation of tires.

Win a Car | I Won This Car competition - The next generation of tires.

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