|
eTyres PRESS RELEASE.
Unrestricted distribution if attributed © 2007 etyres.co.uk
Kids at risk from under-inflated car tyres
19 July 2007 - Busy working mums are putting their
family's safety at risk if they drive with incorrect
tyre pressures during a wet summer, according to a
leading tyre expert.
"People simply don't recognise the danger they are in if
they drive on under-inflated tyres after a long dry
spell - add a build up of oil and grease on the road to
a sudden downpour, and you have a recipe for disaster,"
says Tony Bowman, MD of etyres, the leading online tyre
retailer.
"If you care for your kids, remember this - tyres lose
pressure naturally over time, like a balloon, affecting
both the handling and stopping distance of the car. In
wet weather, stopping distances are twice that for dry –
even more for badly maintained roads - yet few drivers
allow for the changed circumstances," says Bowman.
"Here’s a sobering fact - one in eight drivers is
risking tyre failure from stress and heat build-up from
sidewall bending from under-inflation. I find that scary
when research also confirms that a huge proportion of
forecourt air gauges are inaccurate."
Bowman recommends checking tyre pressures every two
weeks. "44% of cars are losing 21% of tyre life due to
unnecessary wear. If you want a motivation, think of it
this way –the combined affect of higher rolling
resistance on fuel consumption and shorter tyre life
would be costing you £63 a year. Save that money and you
might also potentially save a life."
ENDS
19 July 2007
Notes to Editors
1 Based on 2005 tyre-check data, Bridgestone’s European
Technical Centre has calculated that 44% of motorists at
risk are losing 20.7% of tyre wear life – an average of
10.000 km or 9 months of tyre use (based on an average
wear life of 50.000 km and annual mileage of 13.600 km).
2 The AA has found that 40% of air pressure gauges in
filling stations and garages are inaccurate.
3 The most recent National Roads Maintenance Condition
Survey, just published by the Department for Transport,
shows that almost one in three major roads in
Metropolitan Authorities requires remedial work to
improve skidding resistance; in London, the figure is an
incredible one in two.
4 etyres is Britain’s leading online tyre retailer –
technical information on tyre construction, tyre
regulations and etyre’s environmental commitments can be
found at www.etyres.co.uk.
5 etyres offers the lowest prices and a free mobile
fitting service.
|
