Young drivers urged to check their tyres this Tyre Safety Day

RSA, An Garda Síochána and ITIA launch Tyre Safety Day, Monday 7 October

RSA partners with DCU and ITIA with tyre check for students

 The Road Safety Authority (RSA), An Garda Síochána and the Irish Tyre Industry Association (ITIA) are launching Tyre Safety Day today (Monday, 7 October) to highlight the importance of regular tyre checks for young drivers. In partnership with Dublin City University (DCU), they will be holding a tyre check session to support students in learning how to do a tyre check and what tyre defects to look out for.

With winter approaching, the RSA is reminding road users of the importance of tyre grip, in particular when travelling in wetter weather conditions when motorists need to double their braking distance.

Alarmingly, tyres remain the main cause of NCT failures in Ireland with figures from the last 12 months, showing 162,222 (9.5%) motorists failing due to tyre condition, and 2.7% (44,887) of those drivers failed as a result of dangerously low tyre tread of less than 1.6mm. This follows a trend of fixed charge notices issued to motorists for tyre offences by An Garda Síochána of 1,755 year to date.

Sarah O’Connor, Director of Partnerships and External Affairs, Road Safety Authority, said: “Many motorists give little consideration to their tyres unless an emergency requires a tyre replacement or repair. As our main contact with the road, tyres play a crucial role in keeping us safe and it is vital that they are checked regularly. Getting into the habit of carrying out a regular tyre check at the early stages of their driving life, means young road users are equipped with information about their tyre health to keep them safe. A check is as simple as walking around your car before you go on your journey - look for any defects, ensure all your tyres are inflated properly and that the tyre tread depth is within legal requirements.”  

Chief Superintendent Jane Humphries, Garda National Roads Policing Bureau, said: “Ensuring your tyres are in roadworthy condition not only reduces the risk to you but it also reduces the risk to all road users, as you are minimising the chance of a collision caused by a tyre defect. We will be carrying out checkpoints nationwide alongside RSA Vehicle Inspectors for Tyre Safety Day, where we will be engaging with road users and educating them about tyre safety. Where necessary, we will be enforcing detected breaches of road traffic legislation specific to tyres and other offences.”

The Irish Tyre Industry Association (ITIA) members around Ireland are inviting all motorists to call in for a FREE tyre pressure check and tread depth inspection during Irish Road Safety Week. A visit to www.itia.ie will lead motorists to their nearest ITIA registered dealer. Drivers can download a copy of ‘Your Guide to Tyre Safety’ which includes information on buying second-hand tyres.

Sue O’Neill, CEO, Irish Tyre Industry Association, said: “We are encouraging all drivers to start checking their tyres more frequently. Our ITIA members are nationwide and available during Irish Road Safety Week and throughout the year to support motorists, offering free tyre checks. As the experts when it comes to the health of your tyres, young drivers can drop into any of our members outlets to get a check to ensure their car is in road worthy condition. You can find your nearest ITIA registered dealer by visiting www.itia.ie .”

Brandon Perry, DCU Student Union representative, said: “Our students have the opportunity to engage directly with everyone today to learn more about tyre safety and we are delighted to be involved. Having the opportunity to learn directly from the experts means students are learning first-hand how to do a tyre check, ask questions and learn about the risks that a defective tyre presents. We all need to play our part in making roads safe and getting into the habit of checking tyres regularly brings lifelong benefits for our students.” 

Learn more about tyre safety with the RSA by watching this video here or by downloading a copy of Your Guide to Tyre Safety here.

Here are some tips and information for keeping your tyres safe:

• Carry out tyre checks every time you take your car or motorcycle out on the road
• Look out for any bulges, cracks, cuts or grazes
• Ensure your tyres are inflated to the current level for your car
• Check your tyre tread depth – the recommendation is to replace a tyre if below 3mm. New tyres are 8mm. The legal minimum tread is 1.6mm.
• A motorcycle legal limit is 1mm

 To date this year, a total of 138 lives have been lost on Irish roads. This is 2 less when compared to the same date last year.