Tyre Safety Press Release 25.2.2004
TYRE SAFETY
‘THERE MAY BE TROUBLE AHEAD’
25 February 2004
How many of us consider the condition of our car tyres before it comes time to renew the MOT test, we have a blow-out or the baldness becomes more apparent than the neighbour down the road with the bad comb-over?
Very few indeed apparently, as statistics provided by the Tyre Industry Council (TIC) – Britain’s foremost tyre safety organisation – demonstrate that approximately 70% of motorists are unaware of what constitutes illegal or unsafe tyres.
Now, before you think about turning the page, consider that poor tyre safety awareness and maintenance has led to over three thousand motor-related fatalities and up to 360,000 injuries per year throughout the UK. In these instances, faulty or improperly inflated tyres were identified as a contributing factor.
Though these statistics should be enough to deliver a solid reality check, the associated costs in terms of damaged property and associated rises in insurance premiums run into £billions.
Not surprisingly, the Association of British Insurers (ABI) recently issued a statement about the detrimental impact of faulty tyres on an insurer’s willingness to pay out at the time of accident.
And if nothing else motivates you to check your tyres before heading to your next stop today then read that last sentence again and then move on!
What the motor insurance companies are essentially saying is that if you have an accident and the condition of your tyres is suspect then beyond endangering the lives of everyone on the road you may be recklessly abandoning your future financial security.
The insurance community has seen fit to highlight unsafe tyres as a mitigating factor when apportioning blame at the time of vehicular accident as well as reserving the right to render a vehicle as uninsured. As a result, motorists may at the time of accident find themselves exposed to enormous personal financial loss in terms of any automobiles involved, personal injury suffered as well as for property reparation.
But even if you escape a fender bender or more serious encounter with another driver, the government has put in place potential fines of up to £2,500.00 per faulty tyre as well as applying three penalty points against the licenses of drivers found in breach of this law.
Enter Michael Welch, the managing director and mastermind behind tyre retailer Black Circles (www.blackcircles.com). The young entrepreneur is this year planning to launch a National Tyre Safety Card campaign in an attempt to save us all some unnecessary aggravation or worse a real and serious problem.
Of the campaign Mr. Welch says, “We’re set to launch a National Tyre Safety Card campaign in an attempt to educate motorists about tyre safety, maintenance and purchase. The campaign includes a pocket-sized card which will be available for free throughout the UK later this year.”
Having recently received the Shell LiveWire Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award and the overall prize at Scotland prestigious Winners at the Web (W@W) competition, Mr. Welch has been actively working to change buyer behaviour in what is an extremely traditional retail market.
The pocket sized card which can be inserted between the tread of a tyre gives an instant indication about whether a tyre is acceptable, has dangerous levels of wear or is illegal and a hazard to the vehicle owner and other motorists.
“The majority of drivers only consider the state of their tyres when instructed to do so at the local garage or when the threads begin to show,” Continues Mr. Welch. “Few consider the thousands of fatalities and hundreds of thousands of injuries every year that can be attributed to illegal or improperly inflated tyres. While the financial costs for such run in the billions of pounds, the price in terms of personal safety is incalculable.”
“The potential positive impact of Black Circles Tyre Safety Card could be enormous. The Safety Card’s tangible self-test method allows motorists to check
the legality of their tyres easily. If we can provide a simple option for maintenance we can change behaviour and perhaps even save lives.”
Black Circles, which provides low priced tyres and an appointment service for customers at any of its 900 strong fitting network, prides itself on its exceptional standard of customer service. The company is due to announce the launch of its National Tyre Safety Card and distribution partner in the coming months.
“It goes without saying that damage caused by injury or in the worst instance, loss of life, is the most detrimental result of any accident,” says Mr. Welch. “And yet with all of these facts and opportunities for change emerging through road safety and public awareness campaigns we still maintain an extremely high level of apathy about what constitutes basic road safety in terms of the four points of contact between a motorist, his or her passengers and the road below.”
So take heed of the road ahead today and have a look at those tyres. The option to avoid trouble ahead depends now on what you decide to do next.