Partnership highlights the importance of tyre safety across Staffordshire’s diverse road network
TyreSafe is proud to announce a new partnership with Staffordshire Police, strengthening the shared commitment to improving road safety and reducing the number of people killed and seriously injured on the county’s roads.
The partnership brings together Staffordshire Police and TyreSafe to raise awareness of the vital role that tyres play in keeping road users safe. Through the collaboration, road users will be encouraged to carry out simple, regular checks of their tyre pressure, tread depth and overall condition.
The importance of this preventative approach was demonstrated recently during a multi-agency vehicle enforcement operation at the DVSA Vehicle Inspection Site in Doxey, Staffordshire.
On 25 August, Staffordshire Police, West Mercia Police, DVSA, Datatag, the Forensic Collision Investigation Unit (FCIU) and TyreSafe joined forces for Operation Doxey, a targeted enforcement exercise covering leisure vehicles, vehicles towing for leisure or business, light commercial vehicles and goods vehicles.
A total of 30 vehicles were directed into the site for technical inspection. The operation identified seven specific tyre and wheel-related defects, mechanical risks and pressure discrepancies, including a tyre with a cut through to the cord that resulted in an immediate prohibition notice.
Inspectors also identified a tyre operating around 30% below its recommended pressure, an overweight light commercial vehicle with an embedded nail in a tyre and all four tyres underinflated, a significant pressure imbalance across a rear axle, a missing wheel nut and an 11-year-old tyre.
The findings demonstrate why preventative checks are so important. Tyre safety is not simply about having sufficient tread depth or waiting for a visible problem to develop. Incorrect inflation pressures, damage, age, embedded objects and other defects can all affect how a vehicle performs on the road.
The operation also highlighted different challenges across vehicle types. Leisure vehicle owners generally demonstrated good overall tyre condition and tread awareness, but pressure maintenance remained an area for improvement. Among commercial vehicles, inspectors identified a number of preventable defects that should have been detectable through routine walkaround checks.
Staffordshire benefits from one of the statistically safest road networks in the UK, but serious collisions remain a significant concern, particularly on certain types of roads.
Single carriageway roads present a particular risk, accounting for a significant proportion of fatal and serious injury collisions. In rural areas of Staffordshire, factors including sharp bends, changing speed limits and restricted visibility can increase the challenges faced by drivers and other road users.
Motorcyclists and other vulnerable road users are also disproportionately represented in serious road traffic collisions, while commonly recorded contributory factors include failing to look properly, misjudging another road user’s path or speed, and driving too fast or carelessly.
Tyre condition and maintenance form an important part of preparing for these unpredictable road conditions. Road users cannot control the weather, the behaviour of other road users or unexpected hazards, but they can take action to ensure their vehicle is properly prepared.
Staffordshire Police joins more than 260 organisations working in partnership with TyreSafe to promote safer motoring and improve public understanding of tyre safety. The charity’s network of supporters continues to grow, with an increasing number of police forces recognising the importance of tyre safety as part of their wider road safety activity.
The new partnership will help reinforce important road safety messages and encourage motorists across Staffordshire to make tyre checks a routine part of looking after their vehicles.
Stuart Lovatt, Chairman of TyreSafe, said, “We are delighted to welcome Staffordshire Police as a TyreSafe partner. While Staffordshire has a strong road safety record, every serious collision has potentially devastating consequences for those involved, their families and their communities.
“The recent Operation Doxey enforcement activity demonstrates exactly why preventative vehicle maintenance matters. Across just 30 vehicles, inspectors identified a number of serious tyre and wheel defects, including a tyre cut to the cord, significantly incorrect tyre pressures, an embedded nail, a missing wheel nut and a tyre that was 11 years old.
“These findings are a powerful reminder that problems are not always obvious from behind the wheel. Simple checks before a journey can help identify issues before they become a danger on the road.
“Different roads present different challenges, particularly rural and single carriageway roads where the consequences of losing control or being unable to stop safely can be especially severe.
“Road safety requires a collective effort, and partnerships such as this are incredibly important. By combining the reach and expertise of Staffordshire Police with TyreSafe’s specialist knowledge and campaigns, we can help more road users understand the simple but crucial role their tyres play in keeping themselves and others safe.”
Police Sergeant Adam Van de Sande, Staffordshire Road Crime – Proactive & Harm Reduction Team said: “Keeping people safe on Staffordshire’s roads requires everyone to play their part. We are committed to working with partners to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on our road network.
“Operation Doxey demonstrated the value of partnership working, with officers, vehicle examiners and road safety specialists able to identify a range of defects and safety issues before those vehicles continued their journeys.
“Vehicle safety is an important part of that responsibility, and tyres are fundamental to a vehicle’s ability to stop, steer and maintain grip. We are pleased to be working with TyreSafe to raise awareness and encourage motorists to make regular tyre checks part of their routine vehicle maintenance.
“Our message to road users is simple: don’t wait for something to go wrong. Take a few minutes to check your vehicle and make sure it is ready for the road.”
TyreSafe’s partnership with Staffordshire Police represents another important step in TyreSafe’s mission to reduce tyre-related incidents and make Britain’s roads safer.
