Drivers are taking unnecessary safety risks through not maintaining their tyres correctly, according to the latest figures from fleet management company ARI.
Of the 33,861 tyres replaced by ARI UK in 2012, 8429 tyres – almost a quarter – were due to damage, including over-inflation and blow-outs. Most worryingly of all, a 1164 tyres (or 14% of the overall damage figure) were replaced because they were below the 1.6mm legal minimum tread depth across the central three-quarters of the breadth of the tyre and around the entire circumference.
ARI Fleet UK’s head of operations, Richard Minshull, commented: “Regular checking of tyre tread and pressure and overall condition should be a key feature of all corporate risk management policies and procedures. The failure of drivers to check tyres, at least monthly and ideally every time they fill up with fuel, could have disastrous consequences.”
Aside from safety, well-maintained tyres not only keep tyre wear and thus replacement costs down, but also ensure decent fuel economy. Tyres just 10psi under the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended pressures can decrease fuel economy by 2.5%.
