Category: Servicing and Maintenance

Almost seven in ten motorists don’t know the minimum legal UK tyre depth, new research suggests.

Findings from a survey published by Venson Automotive Solutions found that 69 per cent of motorists didn’t know that 1.6mm was the legal minimum for tyre depth, something that could leave firms at risk if their drivers are in an accident.

Two in five fatal or serious injuries caused by vehicle accidents were partly down to tyre problems, according to safety campaigners TyreSafe.

Three in ten of respondents to Venson’s survey said they don’t bother to check tyre depth and rely on their annual MOT to uncover any cause for concern, while the same proportion of people said they check their tyres every six months or so.

Only seven per cent check their tyre tread before a long car journey, with a measly four per cent assessing their tyre tread every week.

When it comes to tyre pressures, it’s a more encouraging picture with almost a quarter checking their tyres’ psi once a month. However, 12 per cent rely on their vehicle being serviced to have the pressure checked.

Venson Automotive Solutions’ operations director Gil Kelly believes companies should be more proactive in pushing their car and van drivers to check tyre depth.

“Firms need to encourage standard inspections, conducted weekly, to reduce the risk of breakdowns and accidents,” she commented.

“Fleet managers should partner with professionals who will ensure their vehicles are equipped for their needs and that means understanding different tyres and the different uses. A flexible approach to vehicle maintenance is also required.”

Molly Benton, brand manager at Fuel Card Services, adds: “Perhaps the most frustrating and baffling part of all this is that checking tyre depth requires little more than a few seconds and a 20 pence piece.”

Determining the optimum time to replace tyres can have significant cost, safety and compliance implications for fleets. Ben Rooth reports

Safety, cost and compliance are three of the major factors fleets need to consider when determining when to replace tyres.

Each has an impact on the others: for example, set a higher minimum tread depth for when tyres are changed for safety reasons and costs increase, but if a fleet waits until they are close to the 1.6mm legal tread depth limit then they run the risk of breaking the law.

“As always, it’s a balance between operating costs for a fleet and the operational needs of the fleet,” says Lee O’Neill, operations manager at Venson Automotive Solutions.

Fleets typically operate a policy of 2mm, although organisations such as safety charity Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and the National Tyres Distributors Association call for tyres to be changed at 3mm.

So how can a fleet manager decide when is the optimum time to replace tyres on their vehicles? Here we look at the factors they need to consider.

Compliance

New tyres typically come with 8mm of tread, and staying on the right side of the law means a minimum depth of 1.6mm in a continuous band across the central three-quarters of the tyre width around the entire circumference of the tyre.

Safety

Tyres have a vital role to play in the safety of a driver. “Too often tyre management is overlooked and there is a tendency to forget that the only thing keeping the car on the road is the palm-sized contact patch of the tyre,” says David Howe, fleet and retail channel manager for Goodyear Dunlop.

Cost

Changing tyres too early can have massive cost implications for fleets, says McWhir.

“Replacing tyres as soon as the tread depth reaches 3mm or 4mm inevitably means doing so more frequently which represents a significant increase in running costs,” he adds.

Environmental impact

Increasing the frequency with which tyres are replaced can also have a significant environmental impact, which companies with a strong corporate social responsibility may take into account.

Vehicle downtime

When it comes to minimising the downtime linked to changing tyres, industry analysts agree that drivers need to take personal responsibility and utilise mobile support fitters whenever possible.

Read the full story on Fleet News

Driving can be a stressful experience, especially when faced with other road users who might be out to cause a nuisance.

As such, road safety and vehicle breakdown organisation GEM Motoring Assist has offered some helpful tips on how to remain calm when at the wheel. Here's what the organisation suggests:

1. Remember that other drivers are people too – ordinary people, just like yourself and everyone makes mistakes from time to time.
2. Driving isn't a competition – avoid the temptation to try and 'get even' when out on the roads.
3. Make a pledge to show restraint. It's important to avoid becoming irate, as that can affect your own ability to drive safely.
4. Be courteous to other drivers – say thank you, sorry, etc. You might be surprised how quickly a difficult situation can be resolved simply by showing a little common courtesy for others.
5. Avoid trouble, if you can. When you feel a situation may be leading to cross words or an angry exchange, just keep on driving. Don't get sucked in to a situation that could lead to trouble.

GEM road safety officer Neil Worth explained: "It's all about showing consideration, patience and tolerance. We all make mistakes from time to time."

Natalie Brinkley, brand manager at Fuel Card Services, adds: "We can all get a bit hot under the collar when faced with inconsiderate drivers. The trick is to remain calm though, as when tempers get frayed, that is when accidents can be more likely to happen."

New research has highlighted a stark contrast between the confidence and abilities of different generations of motorists when it comes to ensuring the proper maintenance of their vehicle.

A poll of 2,000 randomly selected UK car owners aged 18 and over carried out by price comparison website Gocompare.com showed that while just 22 per cent of 18 to 24-year-olds say they are able to change a tyre should they need to, this figure rises to 61 per cent for those aged over 55.

Overall, it is a trend replicated across all areas of vehicle maintenance highlighted in the study, including jump-starting a dead battery, replacing a headlight bulb, topping up brake fluid, changing a windscreen wiper and checking tyre tread/depth, plus many more areas besides.

Responding to the results of the survey, Matt Oliver from Gocompare.com car insurance said: “It seems that younger drivers have a lot to learn from older motorists when it comes to car maintenance, with simple tasks like changing a windscreen wiper often leaving them scratching their head.

“What drivers may not realise is that they have a legal obligation to ensure that their car is kept in a roadworthy condition, so knowing how to check the tread on your tyre or change a headlight will help you avoid getting a fine or points on your licence.”

Indeed, all vehicle owners must be able to carry out a range of basic tasks in order to properly maintain their vehicle in a roadworthy condition. However, these latest findings show that many younger people may be in need of further help and training to ensure this is the case.

UK motorists could be putting their own lives and those of their passengers and innocent members of the public at risk by failing to regularly check the state of their vehicles’ tyres.

This is the view of car safety organisation TyreSafe, which has highlighted data from the Department for Transport that shows approximately 1,000 people have been either killed or seriously injured on the nation’s roads in tyre-related accidents over the last five years.

Furthermore, where casualties have arisen from an accident being caused by a vehicle defect, tyres were shown to be the single largest contributory factor – accounting for 36 people of total incident volumes.

Chairman of TyreSafe Stuart Jackson commented: “What we’re urging motorists to do is carry out tyre safety checks on a monthly basis, which will substantially reduce their risk of becoming involved in a tyre-related incident on the roads.

“Vehicles have become progressively more reliable over the years so fewer of us need to carry out the weekly maintenance we once did on components like oil and water, but tyres are still in direct contact with the road and all the potential physical objects on them.”

He added that motorists need to be aware of the risks that are represented by a lack of regular vehicle maintenance, as drivers should be confident that their car is in the best possible condition every time they take to the roads.

The safety of items like tyres that will face considerable wear and tear on a daily basis should not be taken for granted and people need to be confident they know how to spot any potential defects when they first arise.