Extreme weather highlights need for tyre safety

TyreSafe is advising motorists to make tyre safety a higher priority than ever with weather data suggesting that the frequency of extreme rainfall in the UK and Ireland may be increasing.

The analysis from the National Climate Information Centre, the UK’s official climate record, shows that the days of particularly heavy rainfall have become more common since 1960.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the Met Office has also just announced that the dismally wet 2012 was the second wettest year on record.

Stuart Jackson, chairman, TyreSafe, said: “Adequate tread depth is essential for safe driving, especially in wet weather which seems to be increasingly commonplace.

“Tyres that do not have enough tread pose a significant danger to the driver, passengers and other road users, so they should be checked regularly to make sure they are safe and legal.”

Adequate tread depth is essential for good grip on wet roads as the tread pattern displaces the water from the road surface. Drivers with insufficient tread depth face a number of hazards including longer stopping distances, less grip and more chance of aquaplaning.