Defective tyres – a real threat to road safety

Published 21st August 2007

The vital part that tyres play in a vehicle’s handling, particularly on wet roads, was brought into sharp focus at Cromer Magistrates Court, in Norfolk*, earlier this week, when a motorist received fines and penalty points on his license following the death of a pedestrian in an accident involving a worn tyre.

The motorist was driving a car with a defective offside tyre on a wet road, and under emergency braking the car skidded and hit a pedestrian who died some days later. TyreSafe has consistently warned that bald tyres are a major road safety risk and can cause a vehicle to skid out of control, or in some cases, double the normal stopping distance. According to TyreSafe, around 12 per cent of cars and vans on the roads in the UK have at least one defective tyre, and a further 12 per cent have a tyre below 2mm. Whilst this is not illegal, they should be replaced says the safety organisation.

TyreSafe advises that motorists check their tyres visually every week, and more thoroughly on a monthly basis. The organisation also recommends that drivers should never delay replacing a defective tyre, the consequences, as have been proved in court this week, could be fatal.

For further press information please contact either Chris Wakley or Simon Wittenberg at TyreSafe, 21/25 St Anne’s Court, London, W1F 0BJ | Tel: 020 7494 8050

Note to Editors

TyreSafe is a not for profit, non commercial organisation set up to promote tyre safety and raise the awareness of the dangers of driving on defective or badly worn tyres. Illegal or worn tyres are a contributory factor in many road collisions particularly in the wet. According to recent DfT figures, more than a third of all road crashes resulting in injury are as a result of under inflated or defective tyres. TyreSafe campaigns for good tyre husbandry – look after your tyres and your tyres will look after you.

*Source: press report EDP 24 website August 10th ‘Man dies after defective car hit him’.

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