Motorist are being urged to consider tyre safety as the summer holidays get into full swing, with Continental and its corporate partner Tyresafe warning against complacency in hotter weather conditions.
Studies reveal that a third of all tyre-related incidents happen during the summer, and with 57 per cent of Britons enjoying a staycation in the UK this year, TyreSafe aims to minimise accidents. A combination of factors, from unexpected bad weather and drivers unfamiliar with country roads, to long journeys with fully-laden cars – means that summer driving carries with it a number of additional risks. And with many classic cars only used during summer months and laid up for long periods, the need to carry out checks carries extra weight.
Mark Griffiths, safety expert at Continental Tyres, said: ““With a spell of good weather, it is easy to get a little complacent in a way motorists might not be in the winter when they are braced for rain, snow and ice. It is vital that, whatever the season, people remain alert to changes in conditions and ensure that their tyres are in top condition.
“While temperature records have been broken this year, in the UK it rains an average of 156.2 days of the year, meaning drivers risk being caught off guard when braking counts in a critical situation. On summer tyres, braking distances on wet roads at 60mph increase by as much as 15 meters – making it vital that drivers remain vigilant, checking they have adequate tread depth and correct inflation.”
The warning coincides with Kwik Fit’s findings that s found that just 11 per cent of UK drivers of the 2000 drivers it surveyed carry out any checks on their car before setting off to their holiday destination, despite clocking up an average of 1105 holiday mile and with one in ten people driving more than 2000 miles.
