'There are lies, damned lies and statistics.' Mark Twain claimed Benjamin Disraeli said this in the 19th Century. True, some say that statistics can be misleading but they can also be sobering, to say the least. Take, for example, this figure, released in September by the Department for Transport. Apparently, illegal, defective and underinflated car tyres caused over 1,210 road casualties in Great Britain during 2010. Over the last five years, 164 motorists have died as a result of having defective car tyres, 18 of those deaths occurring in 2010, according to the Road Casualties in Great Britain report.
What can be done about this? Well, October is Tyre Safety Month. Not for profit organisation TyreSafe was established in 2006 and is now one of the UK's leading tyre safety organisations. As its chairman Stuart Jackson says, “The latest figures are truly shocking and emphasise why we need ongoing action, education and awareness about tyre safety issues.”
TyreSafe is working hard to ensure that we are informed about the importance of looking after ourselves and the safety of others by looking after our car tyres. As part of Tyre Safety Month, drivers will be given a free tyre safety check. Where? Hundreds of tyre dealers and garages are taking part, so try your local ones.
There are also a number of online resources, to show you how to carry out critical car tyre safety checks quickly and easily. An enlightening online video, of a car being driven on ice, demonstrates the benefits of winter tyres.
Stuart Jackson continues, "If all drivers took just a few minutes every month to check their tyre pressures, condition and tread depth, we could help prevent this needless injury and loss of life. Our website contains some really simple guides to help drivers understand what to look for."
Tyre Safety Month is as much about education as awareness. The abovementioned website has material that will leave you fully informed about your car tyres and safety. You can learn about checking your tyres' tread depth and ensuring they contain the correct tyre pressure. There are also TyreSafe's 'Magnificent 7 Car Tyre Safety Tips'.
As we all know, the tail end of the summer season heralds the onset of poorer weather. We should also bear in mind that the need for car tyre safety monitoring will continue ad infinitum…it won't go away when November blusters its way in. In the short term, you can take a look at the TyreSafe web site. In the longer term, you may want to consider investing in a set of winter tyres. Or you could reflect on the wisdom of looking after the tyres you already have, keeping them in prime condition and being aware of the need to replace then as and when necessary.
The bottom line is this. As has been said time and time again, your car tyres are all that are ultimately keeping you on the road. Assuming you have no desire to become a statistic, neglect them at your peril. Why not take a look at keeping your tyres safe– it might just be a life-saving bit of browsing.
Article Resource
Merityre.co.uk are one of the leading UK independent suppliers of car tyres. Why not visit their website for an online tyre quote or contact your nearest fitting centre.
Thursday 13 October 2011
The Car Tyre Deal Of The Decade?
In these grim financial times, making a good deal is practically compulsory. Here is news of a deal which can save your car tyres, save you money and perhaps even save your life. That this can be done with the aid of just twenty pence may seem too good to be true. That you needn't actually spend the twenty pence is downright unbelievable. Or is it…?
The law relating to car tyres in the UK couldn't be clearer. Your tyres must have a minimum of 1.6 millimetres of tread all round the central three quarters of their circumference. If they have less than this, you are breaking the law. That you are also in greater danger of being involved in an accident should be taken as red. Perhaps it isn't but, as money talks, let's look at what else breaking the law can cost you.
If you have less than the abovementioned amount of tread on your car tyres, you are risking a fine of up to £2,500, and three penalty points on your driving licence. This applies not to all of your tyres but to each individual illegal tyre. Apart from the obvious cost, there would be a less evident one. Insurance companies don't like lawbreakers. There are no prizes for guessing where your insurance company will hit you when you tell them about your brush with the authorities.
How can you avoid such unfortunate outcomes for twenty pence? It just so happens that TyreSafe, the organisation running Tyre Safety Month, has come up with a neat and simple test. Have you got a twenty pence piece? Take a look at it. You'll see that there is a broad rim around the edge on each side of the coin. If you were to put the edge of the coin into one of your car tyre's treads, you shouldn't be able to see the coin's outer rim. If you can't see it, your tread depth is fine. If, on the other hand, if you can see the outer rim, the tread depth is questionable; you need your car tyres looked at by a pro.
In this instance, you probably have a readily available, simple tyre tread depth gauge in your pocket. Though it's a coin of the realm, there is no need to spend it…and your car tyres' fitness for their purpose will have been verified.
There is a further use for twenty pence, though you have to spend it this time. Getting up close and personal with your tyres may not be the most alluring task but neglecting it can have dire consequences. Most garage tyre pressure machines will give time enough to check all four tyres – and probably the spare – for a mere twenty pence. Get into the habit of checking your car's tyre pressures once a month, and before each long journey. You never know, you might be lucky enough to come across a free air supply.
So, thanks to TyreSafe for reminding us that our tyres need nurturing. Remember that although October is Tyre Safety Month, the need to look after your car tyres is ongoing.
Article Resource
Merityre.co.uk are one of the leading UK independent suppliers of car tyres. Why not visit their website for an online tyre quote or contact your nearest fitting centre.
The law relating to car tyres in the UK couldn't be clearer. Your tyres must have a minimum of 1.6 millimetres of tread all round the central three quarters of their circumference. If they have less than this, you are breaking the law. That you are also in greater danger of being involved in an accident should be taken as red. Perhaps it isn't but, as money talks, let's look at what else breaking the law can cost you.
If you have less than the abovementioned amount of tread on your car tyres, you are risking a fine of up to £2,500, and three penalty points on your driving licence. This applies not to all of your tyres but to each individual illegal tyre. Apart from the obvious cost, there would be a less evident one. Insurance companies don't like lawbreakers. There are no prizes for guessing where your insurance company will hit you when you tell them about your brush with the authorities.
How can you avoid such unfortunate outcomes for twenty pence? It just so happens that TyreSafe, the organisation running Tyre Safety Month, has come up with a neat and simple test. Have you got a twenty pence piece? Take a look at it. You'll see that there is a broad rim around the edge on each side of the coin. If you were to put the edge of the coin into one of your car tyre's treads, you shouldn't be able to see the coin's outer rim. If you can't see it, your tread depth is fine. If, on the other hand, if you can see the outer rim, the tread depth is questionable; you need your car tyres looked at by a pro.
In this instance, you probably have a readily available, simple tyre tread depth gauge in your pocket. Though it's a coin of the realm, there is no need to spend it…and your car tyres' fitness for their purpose will have been verified.
There is a further use for twenty pence, though you have to spend it this time. Getting up close and personal with your tyres may not be the most alluring task but neglecting it can have dire consequences. Most garage tyre pressure machines will give time enough to check all four tyres – and probably the spare – for a mere twenty pence. Get into the habit of checking your car's tyre pressures once a month, and before each long journey. You never know, you might be lucky enough to come across a free air supply.
So, thanks to TyreSafe for reminding us that our tyres need nurturing. Remember that although October is Tyre Safety Month, the need to look after your car tyres is ongoing.
Article Resource
Merityre.co.uk are one of the leading UK independent suppliers of car tyres. Why not visit their website for an online tyre quote or contact your nearest fitting centre.
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