One in five students never checks the tyre pressure or tread depth on their cars, suggests new research.
Students heading back to university after the summer break are being encouraged to check their tyres are safe and legal, as new research has revealed that a fifth never assess their tyre’s tread depths and pressures.
The study – undertaken by TyreSafe – polled young drivers that attended V-festival between August 22nd and 23rd this year.
Just 25 per cent of respondents said they had checked their tyre pressure and tread depth within the last month, which is the maximum period recommended to leave between inspections. A staggering one in ten believed it was their parent’s responsibility to make sure the car’s tyres were safe and legal.
Stuart Jackson, chairman of TyreSafe, commented: “Being a safe driver isn’t just about sticking to speed limits and ignoring your mobile phone. There’s also a host of other important responsibilities such as making regular checks and carrying out basic maintenance on your tyres.
“When going back to university, it’s likely that the car is heavily laden or travelling a long distance, making it perhaps more important than ever that these checks are completed.”
The organisation has recommended that before returning to university, young drivers carry out three checks on their car. Firstly, TyreSafe suggests the tyre pressure is checked to ensure it is in line with the manufacturer’s guidelines – which can be found in the handbook, inside the fuel cap or on a plate attached to the driver’s footsill.
Next, tyre tread depths should be examined to make sure they do not exceed the minimum legal amount of 1.6mm. This can be done by placing a 20p coin into the grooves of the tyre, if the outer band of the coin is obscured then the tyre has sufficient tread depth, if it is still visible then it may be below the legal minimum. Should this be the case, the car needs to be taken to a garage for further inspection.
Finally, the overall condition should also be checked, to ensure there are no cuts, lumps or bulges in the tyre. If any of these are found then, again, the car should be taken to a professional to be examined thoroughly.
Posted by George Davis