Parents have been advised to ensure their tyres are in full working order before the start of the new school year.
Parents should check their tyres are in good condition before embarking on the first of the new term’s school runs.
This is according to road safety organisation TyreSafe, which is advising drivers planning to drop their children off at school in their cars to ensure their tyres are both legal and safe to use.
The advice comes after its research showed nearly one-third of cars dropping pupils off at one school in Shropshire were using tyres that were not in a legally fit state.
TyreSafe noted that over 11 million school run journeys are made every single day, according to SusTrans figures, with government statistics suggesting that over 1,200 road casualties occur each year as a result defective or illegal tyres.
Stuart Jackson, chairman of TyreSafe, said: “The start of the new academic year means that we will be experiencing many more cars on the roads, particularly at peak times of the day.
“Many of these cars may be used less frequently, so it’s essential that their tyres are checked to ensure that they are roadworthy and legal so that the precious load is transported in a safe manner.”
He also noted that the repeated kerb strikes associated with parking up outside schools can have an adverse effect on tyre condition, making it even more essential to check that tyres are able to withstand these knocks.
The organisation recommends that parents check the inflation, tread depth and general condition of their tyres before setting off on the first school run of the academic year. Tyres should ideally be checked once a month, especially as using illegal tyres can result in in a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty points per tyre.
Parents might also want to consider fitting winter tyres from October in preparation for bad weather that can severely affect driving conditions. They can be particularly useful when the temperature starts to drop below 7 degrees C, as cold weather can affect the grip of normal tyres.