Tyre safety campaign launched

When did you last check your tyres? How about friends, family, loved ones? We all know someone who’s a bit slack when it comes to car maintenance. This simple test could save their life.

The outer boarder of a 20p coin is the same as the required legal depth of a tyre tread – 1.6 mm. We are spreading awareness of this simple test as part of the Tyresafe 2019 campaign. We will also be highlighting the need for motorists to check their tyres at least once a month and before long journeys. 

Lincolnshire Police lead for the project and Specialist Operations Inspector Marc Gee explained, “As the only part of the vehicle in contact with the road surface, tyres play a critical role in road safety.  Tread depth is important to maintain good grip on wet roads but, as the tread wears down, the tyres will lose the ability of good grip.  Tyre pressure is equally important.  Having the right pressure ensures the car handles as it should, reduces the risk of sudden deflation and helps keep fuel consumption of the vehicle at its optimal level.” 

We are supporting the national campaign “Look who’s talking – don’t ignore your tyres”.  The campaign underlines the need for basic education of a significant proportion of drives. 

Insp Gee concluded, “There is good reason to believe a far larger number would act on the advice if they were made aware of it.”

The three things to check:

Air pressure: Use an accurate tyre pressure gauge to check tyre air pressure is at the recommended settings.  The correct settings can be found in the vehicles owner’s handbook or fuel filler cap.  

Condition: Lumps or bulges in a tyre may indicate internal damage and increase the risk of a catastrophic failure.  If these, or cuts and cracks, are found while checking a tyre, the tyre may need replacing and professional advice should be sought.

Tread depth:  Tread depth should be checked with an accurate gauge to ensure it is above the minimum legal limit of 1.6 mm.  If you don’t have an accurate tread depth gauge available, a 20p can be used as a guide to how close your tread is to the limit.  Simply place a 20p coin into the main tread grooves of your tyre.  If the outer band of the 20p coin is obscured when it is inserted, then your tread is above the legal limit.  If the outer band of the coin is visible then your tyres may be illegal and unsafe and should be checked immediately by a qualified tyre professional.  Remember to check at least three locations around each tyre.

The campaign continues throughout October  

Officers from our Specialist Operations unit, along with officers and staff across the force will be concentrating on educating car drivers on how to check their tyres and why it’s so important to do this at least once a month, every month and before long journeys. 

The second two weeks we will be enforcing the law around tyres and our officers will be checking tyres at every opportunity. 

Check out the “Look who’s talking” video from TyreSafe