ContiAcademy hosts police tyre training and testing workshop
Continental Tyres’ in-house training school, the ContiAcademy, has hosted officers from West Mercia Police as part of a workshop looking at tyre safety and performance.
The session, held at the ContiAcademy facility in Lutterworth in the UK, saw 13 delegates from the force undertake a mix of theory-based and practical training. Modules looked in depth at the fundamentals of tyre design, engineering and physics, with the aim to strengthen officers’ understanding of the role tyres play in ensuring vehicles are safe.
Steve Howat, Continental technical services general manager, guided the attendees through the complexities involved in developing a tyre. Howat provided a clear view on the technical elements that contribute to tyre performance, such as a tyre’s construction, the chemical blend of the compound and the design of the tread pattern. The classroom element also included tutorials on tyre friction, aquaplaning and tyre pressure characteristics.
The practical element of the session, led by Continental Tyres’ technical services and training manager, Gwyn Fennell, looked specifically at tyre performance in practice and saw a number of controlled tests take place.
In working with West Mercia Police, Continental says it has underscored its commitment to road and tyre safety at the highest level, and has demonstrated the confidence organisations place in its education and training services.
Speaking about the training event, Andy Bennett, chief driving instructor at West Mercia Police, said: “Poor tyre conditions are often the cause of serious and fatal collisions on our roads when you consider that the contact area of a tyre on a road at any time is approximately the size of a hand, it is vital that the tyre has the best possible traction available. It is only by working together with all involved in tyre production, design, and enforcement that our roads will become safer.
“Thank you to the team at Continental for inviting us, making us most welcome and explaining and demonstrating the science behind the production and design of tyres, which I know will greatly assist our drivers and Officers to reduce collisions across the three Counties of West Mercia Police.”
“Our police forces are at the front line of road safety,” said Steve Howat. “It’s therefore critical that officers have a strong understanding of the engineering behind a tyre and the variables that can significantly impact the way they perform. It’s an endorsement of our commitment and capabilities at the ContiAcademy that West Mercia Police opted to work alongside us to deliver this vital training day. We look forward to building on this relationship in the future, while also offering our support to other emergency service teams.
“Our close relationship with the emergency services is also visible on a wider industry scale. Continental, like many police forces across the UK, is a proud supporter of TyreSafe – the country’s leading authority on tyre safety.”
