To coincide with Tyre Safety Month in the UK, , premium tyre manufacturer Pirelli held a number of classes at Burton and South Derbyshire College to educate students on the importance of tyre safety and checking tyre pressures.

Launched in 2007, Tyre Safety Month is a yearly campaign that is run by TyreSafe: one of the UK’s leading tyre safety organisations. Tyresafe was founded in 2006 with the sole responsibility of raising awareness of the dangers related to defective and worn tyres.

Pirelli recognises the significance of Tyre Safety Month and responded this year by holding a number of educational talks for young adults at a college based close to Pirelli’s base at Burton upon Trent.

During the talk, Pirelli staff members talked to students about the importance of tyre safety and demonstrated a simple and quick way to test tyres by inserting a 20p coin into the main grooves of the tyre. The students also had the chance to examine a series of damaged tyres to help them identify defective and worn tyres so that they know what to look for when conducting their own checks.

At the end of the 45-minute talk, students had the opportunity to have their own tyres checked by one of Pirelli fleet service engineers. As part of the initiative, Pirelli ran a prize draw that gave one student or employee from Burton and South Derbyshire College a chance to win a set of tyres to the value of £1000.

Pirelli UK Managing Director Dominic Sandivasci explained: “Tyre Safety Month is the perfect opportunity to remind motorists of the importance of checking tyres. Tyres are the only point of contact between the car and the road and so correct tread depth and correct tyre pressure are vital to motorists’ safety. Under-inflated tyres affect handling and grip and can often lead to unpredictable vehicle behaviour. By focusing on colleges as part of this year’s initiative, we hoped that the message about tyre safety would be ingrained into their consciousness from a young age.”

Kathleen French, Learner Mentor for Motor Vehicles at Burton and South Derbyshire College, added: “We were delighted to have Pirelli representatives visit our learners and increase awareness of the important issue of tyre safety. The college prides itself on having excellent industry links, giving learners access to specialist knowledge and opportunities within the industry.”