Businesses can make significant saving by ensuring tyres correctly inflated

• ITIA says that a vehicle with under inflated tyres can cost owners up to €17 per month in fuel costs and €4,000 per annum for a fleet of company vehicles
• RSA, AGS and ITIA urge drivers and employers to check tyres on Tyre Safety Day, Wednesday 5 October
• ITIA dealers offering free tyre checks nationwide
• 1,402 Fixed Charge Notices issued by An Garda Síochána for tyre offences in 2022.

The Road Safety Authority (RSA) together with An Garda Síochána and the Irish Tyre Industry Association (ITIA), have used the launch of Tyre Safety Day which takes place today Wednesday 5 October, at the ESB Networks Fleet & Equipment offices in Dublin, to highlight the fact that roadworthy tyres not only help avoid the human and financial costs of collisions, but also save you money on fuel economy.

Businesses in particular, can make significant savings to the running costs of their fleet of vehicles by ensuring the tyres on those vehicles are correctly inflated. An under-inflated tyre creates more rolling resistance, meaning it takes more energy and therefore more fuel to drive the vehicle.

Calculations carried out by the ITIA reveal that where the tyres on a vehicle are under-inflated by 20% this can add €17 per month to fuel costs. So, for a company’s fleet of 20 vehicles, under-inflated tyres could add over €4,000 to the annual fuel costs of that business. In addition to fuel efficiency, underinflation of tyres can also negatively impact grip handling and braking performance, increasing the risk of a crash, as well as the wear and lifespan of the tyre.

As part of Irish Road Safety Week, motorists are being encouraged to check their tyres and ensure they are not below the minimum tread depth of 1.6mm (1mm for motorcycles), that they are not damaged and inflated to the correct tyre pressure. Drivers can visit any ITIA dealer nationwide for a free tyre safety check, including a pressure check and tread depth inspection.

Sam Waide, Chief Executive of the RSA, said: “With cost pressures being felt across all sectors of society, it is more important than ever to practice regular tyre maintenance as this can save on fuel costs. Correctly maintained tyres not only save costs, most importantly they can save lives. Tyres are the only part of your vehicle in contact with the road and their importance is often overlooked. Ensure your tyres are properly inflated, check the tread depth and that they are free from cracks, tears, or bulges. If your tyres show signs of deterioration, you should have them replaced immediately.”

Superintendent Sean O Reardon, AGS, said: “An Garda Síochána conducts forensic collision investigations following fatal or serious collisions. These investigations will show if defective tyres are a contributing factor in such incidents. Collisions can be avoided if you drive at an appropriate speed and ensure your tyres are roadworthy. On Tyre Safety Day, Wednesday 5 October, members of Garda Siochána Roads Policing Units across the country will be mounting checkpoints and checking vehicles in conjunction with Road Safety Authority Vehicle Inspectors. If you are found with defective tyres you risk 2 penalty points and a fine of €80. 1,402 Fixed Charge Notices have been issued by An Garda Síochána for tyre offences in 2022.”

Sue O’Neill, CEO, Irish Tyre Industry Association, said: “Getting your tyres checked only takes a few minutes out of your day and this week our ITIA members are offering free tyre checks. Our members are experts in tyre health and road worthiness, and they can give drivers peace of mind that their vehicle is safe on the road. So don’t wait until your next CVRT or NCT, get them checked out today. To find your nearest ITIA registered dealer nationwide, visit www.itia.ie”

Neil McGuinness Manager Fleet and Equipment ESB Networks said: “With a Fleet of over 2000 vehicles which are driven in all weather and all road conditions, for us in ESB Networks tyre safety is very important. Good quality tyres, in good condition, correctly inflated and with thread dept well above the legal limit help ensure the safety of our employees and other road users. We also use all weather tyres as a standard on our vans as these provide excellent grip and traction on all road surfaces all year round. Our drivers are expected to check the condition of their tyres as part of their daily vehicle safety checks, to report any problems to our garages immediately and to follow the advice given. Tyre safety is the everyone’s responsibility.”

As the winter months approach, the RSA is reminding road users that tyre grip will become increasingly important when driving in poor weather conditions.

Some general tips on tyre maintenance:

• The minimum legal tread depth for a car is 1.6mm however we recommend that you consider replacing them once they are below 3mm. There is 8 mm of tread on a new tyre. The legal limit for motorcycles is 1mm.
• Poor tyre condition can lead to internal rust, rapid deflation or a possible blow out.
• Look out for, cracks cuts or grazes on the side wall of the tyre. Any visible bulges. Ensure wheels are aligned & balanced
• Don’t forget to check the spare tyre.

Please see the RSA’s Tyre Safety video here.

You can download a copy of ‘Your guide to Tyre Safety’ here.

To date in 2022 a total of 116 lives have been lost on the road. This is up 11 compared to the same date last year.

Road Safety Strategy.
Ireland’s fifth government Road Safety Strategy 2021-2030 aims to reduce the number of deaths and serious injuries on Irish roads by 50% over the next 10 years. This means reducing deaths on Ireland’s roads annually from 144 to 72 or lower and reducing serious injuries from 1,259 to 630 or lower by 2030. 

The strategy is the first step in achieving the 2020 Programme for Government commitment of bringing Ireland to ‘Vision Zero’. This is to eliminate all road deaths and serious injuries on Irish roads by the year 2050.

Notes:

1. ITIA Calculations on impact of underinflated tyres on typical company fleet

A typical busy vehicle in a fleet (20 vehicles) covers avg. of 4,000 kms (2,500 miles) per month

1 litre of fuel costs on average €2.00 per litre this year

Achieving 40mpg with correct tyre inflation pressures.

@ 40mpg the vehicle uses 62.5 gallons of fuel = €568 per month.

Achieving 38.8mpg with incorrect tyre inflation pressures. (20% reduction in pressure)

@ 38.8mpg the vehicle uses 64.4 gallons of fuel = €585 per month.

The extra cost is €17 per month.

€17 x 12 months x 20* vehicles = €4,080 per year.

*20 vehicles being typical of many Irish Fleets

2. Tyre Safety Enforcement Statistics

Commercial Vehicles: Between 1st January to 31st August 2022, 14,767 commercial vehicles were inspected at roadside checks by the Road Safety Authority, with 1,063 (7%) recorded as having defected tyres. In the same period, a total of 107,327 tyre related failures were recorded at Commercial Vehicle Roadworthiness Testing (CVRT) centres.

Private Vehicles: In the last 12 months, a total of 1,390,169 full NCT tests were completed of which 110,646 (8%) received a fail result on tyres which included 31,402 (2%) of those receiving a fail dangerous result as the tyre tread was less than 1.6mm.

Garda Enforcement Stats: From 1 January 2022 up to 26 September 2022 a total of 1,402 Fixed Charge Notices (FCN’s) have been issued by An Garda Síochána for tyre offences. The penalty for driving a vehicle with defective tyres is 2 penalty points and an €80 fine.

Employers Legal Responsibility

Employers, managers and supervisors must, by law, manage the risks that employees face and create when they drive for work. This includes having a driving for work policy in place

The RSA, HSA and An Garda Síochána have developed a number of resources on www.drivingforwork.ie to help employers implement safe driving practices in companies.

All companies should include tyre safety as part of their driving for work policy and conduct a tyre safety check before every journey.