Tyred of getting your facts wrong? We asked 2000 Brits about Tyre Safety – here’s what they told us…

The only thing between the high-speed, heavy balls of metal hurtling down our streets and the roads beneath them are tyres (and hopefully a set of wheels). So you’d hope that tyre safety is something everyone is clued up on and takes seriously.

With road safety coming to the forefront of public conversation in the midst of coronavirus, we’ve decided to investigate the subject a little more by finding out exactly how much the public know about tyre safety. We asked 2000 British Motorists a series of questions concerning their car tyres; such as ‘would you be confident putting air into your tyres at a petrol station’ and ‘which of these signs is the low tyre pressure symbol’? – Here’s what we found.

People aren’t too confident on their dashboard symbols

Could you identify which the tyre pressure warning symbol is on your dashboard? Which one of the following do you think fits that description?

The answer is C. Shockingly, over half of the motorists in our survey (57% in fact) could not have told you this- which begs the question; what would they do if they saw this light on their dashboard?

Well, for some people… nothing, apparently. A further one in five people admitted to driving while this symbol was showing on their dashboard- even though 63% know that an under inflated tyre causes less grip on the road. So, perhaps people are aware of some of the dangers of low tyre pressure, but unaware of how to spot the warning signs.

Is knowledge around tyre pressure a real problem?

It could well be. We tried to establish exactly how strong motorists’ knowledge bases are. One of the ways we did this was by asking whether they knew the correct tyre pressure for their own cars.

32% of respondents said that they did not. Interestingly, it seems to be more of a question how concerned drivers are about tyre pressure rather than whether they have the ability to figure out the correct pressure level- as 76% of motorists claimed to know where, on their car, to find the recommended tyre pressure range.

Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that anyone’s going to ring you to remind you to check your tyre pressure– so knowing how to spot the warning signs both on your tyres themselves and via the dashboard is essential.

How dangerous is it to have the wrong tyre pressure?

Potentially life-threatening. In fact, 1 in 25 people who took part in our survey said that they have had a crash because of underinflated tyres- that’s 6% of men and 3% of women. One in twenty-five is a pretty significant statistic considering how many millions of drivers you’ll find on UK roads.

What’s more, the survey revealed that 91% of motorists do not realise that under-inflation is the most likely cause of a tyre blowout. It’s the easiest way to kill a tyre, and could put you in danger.

Getting up to speed with tyre safety

In light of these findings, will motorists change their ways and embrace tyre safety? We sincerely hope so. To find out, we asked whether motorists felt confident enough to put air in their tyres at a petrol station. Surprisingly, over 1 in 5 people said they would not, with 88% of men claiming they have confidence in re-inflating their tyres, as opposed to only 68% of women.

What are the dangers of having an under-inflated tyre?

The main dangers include:

  • Your tyres could blowout
  • Your braking distance is increased
  • You have less control when taking corners

Each of these reasons could lead to a crash, in which either yourself or an unfortunate bystander suffers. Our research has revealed that improving tyre safety in the UK is absolutely crucial, and some of the findings that make this obvious include that:

  • 25% of motorists have never personally checked the tread depth on their tyres

Tread depths matters- and having either under-inflated or over-inflated tyres can drastically affect the tread on your tyre. Generally, you want to try and maintain a tread depth of around 8mm to 6mm, as driving around with severely worn down tyres can potentially lead to a fine. Read more about tread depth here.

A final key stat from our study is that one in seven motorists have never checked their car’s tyre pressure at all. Not once. Whilst it’s true that tyre pressure is something we’ll check for you if you pop in for an MOT, we recommend that you check this more frequently- ideally every 3-4 months.

How can we improve car tyre safety going forward?

Some of the findings we’ve uncovered in our research are worrying, and suggest that people aren’t taking the proper safety precautions when driving. Some steps we could take to improve this include:

  • Educating friends and family on road safety. Tell your friends about some of the statistics we’ve shared with you today; quiz them on whether they’re familiar with tyre pressure safety regulations.
  • Get your car booked in for a free Road Ready Car Check. We’re currently offering the option for you to book a slot to have safety checks made on your car- in the hope that the impact of coronavirus on road safety can be limited as much as possible.
  • Check your tyre pressure today and ensure that you’re within the government guidelines. While you’re at it, you might as well check the tread depth too and save yourself the job later down the line.

Please join us in promoting proper safety practices and helping to limit road accidents.

Same day tyre fitting

Did you know that we now offer same day tyre fitting across our garages nationwide? Simply book online before 1pm and we can replace your tyres the same day to help you get you back on the road safely and swiftly. Please note that availability varies by location. For more information, please head on over to our dedicated same day tyre fitting page where you can find answers to frequently asked questions, choose the right tyres for your vehicle and book your appointment.