Why tyres are important?

Published 5th October 2006

Tyres are the ultimate forgettable products and their importance overlooked and yet they are a major contributory factor in many road accidents, particularly in the wet according to the Tyre Industry Council, the UK foremost tyre safety organisation.

In the run up to this year's Northern Ireland Tyre Safety Week later this month, the TIC has repeated the warnings of the dangers of driving a vehicle with defective or badly worn tyres. Independent research has shown that driving a vehicle with less than 3mm of tread on the tyres substantially increases braking distances on wet roads. The AA Motoring Trust said that worn tyres contribute to one in ten accidents in the wet.

The Northern Ireland Tyre Safety campaign, now in its 11th year, has the support of the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) and all major tyre retailers and tyre companies who will be working together to operate free tyre safety clinics at key locations.

Editors Note

Northern Ireland Tyre Safety Week will run from the 16th to the 20th October. The tyre law requires that car and van tyres must have a minimum of 1.6mm of tread throughout a continuous band comprising the centre three quarters of the breadth of tread and round the entire outer circumference of the tyre. In the case of motorcycles the minimum tread depth is 1mm.

Breaking the tyre law could mean a £2,500 fine and three penalty points on the drivers' license.

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