TyreSafe's Guide to Summer Motoring

10 July 2023

TyreSafe’s Guide to Summer Motoring provides a wealth of materials and resources for supporters to share and help prevent tyre-related interruptions to holidays, day trips and travel plans . The campaign will span social media and supporters’ garages and showrooms to remind drivers of all vehicles to perform life saving checks this summer.

There are more reported tyre-related incidents in summer than at any other time of the year, and longer journeys with extra loads in vehicles with defective tyres can result in catastrophic failures.

This year could prove the busiest summer on the UK roads yet, with 72% of Brits still preferring staycations in 2023. Despite the more predictable warmer weather and better light, June July and August are the months when a tyre related incident is most likely to occur. TyreSafe is urging motorists to use the simple acronym ACT to stay tyre safe this summer.

• Air pressure - The air pressure of each tyre should also be checked using an accurate gauge. Typically, car manufacturers recommend two different tyre pressures, one for light loads and another for when the vehicle is fully. It’s essential that drivers adjust the pressures to accommodate the load they are carrying. These settings can be found in the vehicle handbook, on reputable internet tyre pressure charts such as the one at tyresafe.org, and often in the vehicle’s fuel filler cap or door sill.
• Condition - with a visual check, looking at the overall condition of each tyre to see if anything might have penetrated the tread, such as nails or other objects. If any of these objects, cracks or bulges are present, the driver should refer immediately seek professional advice.
• Tread – drivers should check the tread of their tyres to ensure they are above the UK the legal tread depth minimum of 1.6mm. Ideally an accurate tread depth gauge should be used but if this is not available, a 20p coin can be used as a guide. Insert the 20p into the main sections of the tyre and at various points around the circumference – should you see the outer rim at any point, you need to have the tread depth checked as it may be illegal.