Good Garage Scheme Supports Tyre Safety Month

"Don't chance it, check it" is this month's message from road safety charity, TyreSafe.

The campaign has been supported by research by the charity that reveals more than one in four motorists are replacing their tyres when they were already illegal, the equivalent of over ten million illegal and dangerous tyres on Britain’s roads!

The tyre tread depth survey involved 800 tyre retailers from across the UK surveying 340,000 tyres and comes alongside findings from the DVSA that annually, 2.2 million fail their MOT due to tyre-related defects.  The Good Garage Scheme is lending its support to the campaign, encouraging motorists to get their tyres and cars professionally checked in this year's Tyre Safety Month.

Good Garage Scheme workshops across the UK can offer motorists peace of mind by providing an expert assessment of their vehicle’s tyres and overall condition. The legal minimum tread depth for cars in the UK is 1.6mm throughout a continuous band comprising the central three-quarters of breadth of the tread and around its entire outer circumference. In wet weather tyre tread grooves help to remove water from the contact patch between the tyres and the road surface, allowing the car to brake, steer and accelerate properly. Without adequate tread depth, the tyres may not be able to perform properly in wet conditions, reducing safety on the road.

Anndi Sheppard, the Good Garage Scheme’s Marketing Manager, comments: “Tyre safety and the need to raise awareness of the importance of carrying out regular tyre checks are important issues that every motorist needs to be aware of. The Good Garage Scheme is pleased to lend its support to this year’s Tyre Safety Month. Arranging a tyre and vehicle check with a Good Garage Scheme member is a simple way to put your mind at rest and ensure your car is safe and reliable as the weather begins to change this autumn.”


Visit www.GoodGarageScheme.com and enter your postcode to find your local Good Garage Scheme workshop offering a vehicle check. Many Good Garage Scheme members offer online service booking, making it even easier to arrange a check or service for your car. In addition, smartphone users can download a free iPhone or Android app to help them locate a nearby Good Garage Scheme workshop anywhere in the UK.


Watch Tyresafe's video here with a simple guide on how to check your tyres and why it's important.

Weather woe inflates the need for Tyre Safety Checks

image courtesy of TyreSafe

After the worst winter storms to hit Britain for two decades, drivers are being reminded about the need for more regular tyre checks. With its potential to cause aquaplaning, standing water remains a major hazard in many parts of the UK, while damaged road surfaces also present a different tyre-related challenge. However, by taking just a few minutes to inspect your tyres regularly, TyreSafe advises that the impact of these issues can be reduced.

"Although floods in many areas are starting to subside, motorists are still faced with a couple of serious tyre-related challenges which can be minimised if they spend a few moments regularly checking their tyres," advises Stuart Jackson, chairman, TyreSafe. "The checks are incredibly easy to make, but they could make the world of difference to your safety on the road."

While driving through deep flood water has a wide range of associated risks and should be tackled with extreme caution, smaller areas of standing water may be less easy to avoid but equally dangerous. On vehicles equipped with tyres that have insufficient or low levels of tread depth, water between the tyres and the road surface may not be removed quickly enough. This layer of water builds up in front of the tyres until the tyre loses contact with the road surface. This loss of traction, or aquaplaning, causes the wheels to slip and prevents the vehicle from responding to steering, braking or acceleration.

As a result, the vehicle can lose control, starting to skid or spin dangerously. To reduce the risk of aquaplaning, drivers are advised to check the tread depth of their tyres. New tyres often have a tread depth of around 8mm, far greater than the legal minimum requirement of 1.6mm, which makes them much more efficient at removing water and able to cope with standing water. Any drivers unfortunate enough to suffer from aquaplaning should heed the advice of organisations such as the AA who recommend holding the steering wheel lightly and lifting off the throttle until the tyres regain grip.

Meanwhile, damaged road surfaces and potholes caused by the recent wet weather also present another significant tyre safety hazard. When tyres hit large potholes, they have the potential to suffer internal damage which could cause the tyre to fail catastrophically, leaving the driver unable to control the vehicle. Consequently, drivers are being advised to inspect the condition of their tyres at least once a month, and even more frequently if they know they've hit a pothole. In particular, drivers should look for cuts, lumps or bulges in the tyre and also check the tyre pressures regularly in case the wheel rim itself has been damaged.

"Checking your tyres may see like an unnecessary or daunting task, but in the current conditions it's even more important than normal," adds Jackson.
"Of course, if you're not sure what to do then simply pop into your local tyre professional who will be able to inspect things properly and advise you of any issues."


The Good Garage Scheme would like to thank TyreSafe for their permission to print this blog.  For more information about TyreSafe, visit www.tyresafe.org

Any Good Garage Scheme member garage would be happy to check your tyres if you are unsure. Please check www.GoodGarageScheme.com to find a member near you.