Wiltshire Police are encouraging drivers to ACT when it comes to ensuring their vehicle’s tyres are in a roadworthy condition.
The month of October marks Tyre Safety Month, a national awareness raising campaign highlighting to drivers the importance of checking he air pressure, condition and tread depth (ACT) of their tyres at least once a month and prior to any long journeys.
Roads policing officers in Wiltshire are supporting the campaign and alongside their regular duties are proactively out on shifts across Wiltshire inspecting tyres and enforcing offences as well as educating road users.
This week, officers have been in Swindon and have also combined these activities with tackling speeding on Thamesdown Drive – one of the ‘fatal four’ that contribute to fatal and serious injury collisions on our roads.
Acting Sgt Ben Cox of the Roads Policing Unit said: “I can’t stress enough how important it is to regularly check your tyres, they are the only thing connecting your vehicle with the road.
“If tyres are worn, damaged or deflated, that could impact on things like braking and steering and puts your life and the lives of others on the road at unnecessary risk.
“We are constantly amazed at the state some tyres are in when we stop cars with no tread left and sometimes the cords of the inner tyre wall showing through.
“There are some very simple tips to help when checking your tyres and we will be sharing these throughout the month of October on our social media channels to help you ensure your car is roadworthy.
“Today, we were also able to combine our activity with some speed enforcement on Thamesdown Drive in response to residents’ concerns around speeding on this particular stretch of road.
“We know how worried the community are around this issue and we will continue to do all we can to be a deterrent for people driving and excessive speeds and putting both road users and pedestrians in unnecessary danger. There is never an excuse for speeding.”
All vehicle makes and models have their own requirements and drivers are asked to check their manufacturers handbook for details or visit a local specialist for advice.
For further information on tyre safety and maintenance visit www.tyresafe.org.
