Don’t take risks on the road this Christmas

Gareth Herincx

2 days ago
Auto News

Bridgestone tyre safety plea

Bridgestone is making a festive road safety plea for motorists driving home for Christmas.

Latest research from the tyre giant revealed that more than half (54%) don’t regard driving on illegal tyres as being potentially life threatening, with only 14% describing them as the most important safety feature on their cars.

The survey of 2,000 also showed that despite tyres being the only contact points between a vehicle and the road – and responsible for 159 deaths or serious injuries from defective tyres related accidents – 81% admitted to never checking their tyres for signs of wear or damage.

More than 5,000 people are have been killed in tyre-related incidents on roads in the last five years and there are an estimated 10 million illegal tyres on UK roads.

In the run up to Christmas – and many people making more journeys to see loved ones over the holiday period – Bridgestone has renewed its call to get motorists to find a few minutes to check their tyres.

“Driving over the Christmas holidays is something everyone should prepare for,” said Bridgestone’s North Region Vice President Andrea Manenti.

“It is not only about having the right tyres; the driver’s behaviour is also essential in these conditions as he or she needs to understand and adapt to different winter hazards.

“It is therefore crucial to not only prepare our vehicles, but also ourselves when the weather gets cold, as we are seeing at this time of year.”

Bridgestone’s top tyre tips for motorists

  • Periodically check traction, or available grip, when driving in challenging conditions. Apply the brakes with moderate pressure to determine the available grip and modify your driving, if needed, to respond to ever-changing road conditions.
  • Under-inflated tyres not only compromise motorists’ ability to brake and manoeuvre safely, but they also consume more fuel and wear out faster. Information on the recommended tyre pressure can be found in the operating manual, on the inside of the door pillars or under your fuel cap.
  • The legal minimum tread depth is 1.6mm. Insert a 20p coin in the tread; if you can see the border, it’s time to change the tyres.
  • Maximise available grip by separating driving manoeuvres when negotiating a curve. Brake to an appropriate speed while travelling in a straight line prior to a curve. This allows you to use all the available grip for negotiating the curve. Accelerate gradually when you are able to straighten the steering wheel at the exit of the turn.
  • Avoid cruise control in wet, icy or snowy conditions. Maintain control of acceleration and deceleration at all times.
  • Avoid driving in bad weather conditions. Your safety comes first.

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Cost-of-living crisis: Motorists delay buying safer tyres

Gareth Herincx

2 days ago
Auto News

Worn tyre

Motorists have been warned about the risk of driving with worn tyres as new eBay research reveals that more than one in 10 have put off buying new tyres, with most blaming the ongoing cost-of-living crisis.

Nearly 40% will only buy new tyres if they fail an MOT, while 11% will hold out until the following year’s test if they receive an advisory.

As well as delaying the purchasing of new tyres, eBay’s study also found that 11% were not confident when checking the tread on their tyres, while 10% stated that they have no clue about the recommended tyre pressures for their vehicle.

These findings come as 18% of drivers revealed plans to embark on long journeys (more than 100 miles) during the Christmas break, when weather conditions are typically poor.

Hannah Gordon, eBay expert and mechanic, said: “As a mechanic, I’ve witnessed first-hand the reluctance of drivers to address tyre damage promptly.

“People are often put off by cost, and understandably, they think if they pass an MOT they’re fine, which isn’t always the case.

“Braking distance and overall handling, especially in winter weather, can be seriously impacted by tyre health and tread depth.”

The research comes as eBay relaunches its tyre purchasing and fitment service. The one-stop shop allows buyers to order tyres before then choosing a local fitment centre, where the tyres will be sent and fitted at the owner’s chosen date and time.

eBay’s relaunched programme allows customers to choose from more than 250,000 tyre listings and over 3,000 installers across the UK, meaning eBay UK is now home to the UK’s largest tyre fitment network. It has now more than doubled the number of garages working in its UK tyre fitment network.

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Top 10 tips for driving in hot weather

Motorway in the summer - CarGurus

In hot weather conditions, it’s more important than ever for drivers to carry out basic preparation and checks to reduce the risk of mechanical breakdowns, and maximise passenger comfort.

CarGurus – a leading online automotive marketplace to shop, buy, and sell used vehicles – has compiled a list of essential advice for motorists driving in the summer heat.

“Preparation is essential as hot weather puts more strain on vehicles and their occupants,” said Chris Knapman, Editorial Director at CarGurus.

“Breaking down during a heatwave can be dangerous, particularly for more vulnerable road users such as small children and pets.

“The chances of breaking down in hot weather is also higher as certain issues such the engine overheating are more likely to occur.”

Top tips for hot weather driving

  1. Check Coolant Level

Locate the header or expansion tank, and if the coolant level is below the ‘Min’ marker, either ask a garage to top it up or replenish it yourself with the correct coolant for your vehicle. Only remove the cap when the engine is cool. 

  1. Check Oil Level

Remove the dipstick, wipe with a cloth and replace it. Remove it again and look for oil between the ‘Min’ and ‘Max’ markers. If low, add the recommended oil gradually and recheck, taking care not to overfill.

  1. Wiper & Screen Wash Check

Top-up the windscreen washer fluid reservoir with correctly mixed washer fluid, and replace worn wipers if needed. 

  1. Service Air Conditioning

If losing effectiveness, get the air conditioning serviced every two-three years by a specialist. Regular use keeps it in prime condition.

  1. Check Tyres

Check tyre pressures regularly, check the tread is above the legal limit (1.6mm) and check for any cuts, bulges or cracking. Check the spare wheel and tyre as well.

  1. Pets’ Safety

Don’t leave pets in an unattended vehicle on hot days. Call the emergency services if you see a pet in distress.

  1. Use Sun Shades

Protect the car’s interior from sunlight with sun shades, especially over the steering wheel, gear lever, and seats. Park in the shade where possible. 

  1. Take Care of Yourself

Pack essentials like water, sunglasses, phone charger, and necessary medication. Plan breaks on long journeys and monitor the engine temperature gauge in traffic jams.

  1. Take Caution in Rain

After dry spells, roads become slippery with the first rainfall. Reduce speed and increase braking distance.

  1. Consider EV range

In hot weather, cooling an electric vehicle’s cabin will deplete its range more quickly. Pre-cool the cabin while the car is plugged in to minimise range loss.

Top reasons for cars failing MOTs

Gareth Herincx

2 days ago
Auto News

MOT testing station

Lamps, reflectors and indicators continue to be the most frequent reasons for vehicles fail their MOTs, according to DVSA data analysed by the RAC.

However, brakes and tyres overwhelmingly that are more likely to cause the most “dangerous” MOT failures.

Failures for non-working headlights, indicators and reflectors accounted for just over a quarter (25.5%) of all MOT failures in the 12 months to March 2022, while faulty or broken suspensions represented just under a fifth (18.3%) of all failures.

Bald, worn and damaged tyres - © Gareth Herincx

Problems with brakes (17%) and tyres (12%) were the third and fourth biggest reasons for an MOT failure, with bad visibility – most likely cracks on windscreens – rounding up the top five, representing just 8.7% of all MOT failures.

While a third of all initial MOT tests of cars, vans and small passenger vehicles – the equivalent to 7.3m vehicles – resulted in a fail and mean drivers need to fork out for remedial repair work, nearly one-in-10 tests – 8%, equivalent to 2.4m vehicles – worryingly result in a fail where at least one dangerous defect had been found.

In these most serious cases, where an examiner states a vehicle cannot be driven until that defect is repaired, brakes and tyres represent 88% of all such failures, emphasising just how critical it is for drivers to carry out routine checks on these items.

Although the biggest causes of MOT failures have remained consistent over many years, the proportion of tyre failures has increased slightly from 10% in 2018-19 to 12% in 2021-22.

All cars require MOTs three years after first registration and annually thereafter. With drivers paying up to £54.80 for a car MOT test (class 4 vehicle) costs can soon mount up if work and parts are required, particularly if a vehicle has not been serviced regularly.

“Many drivers dread taking their vehicle for its annual MOT for fear they could end up having to spend lots of money on repairs in order to get it to pass,” said RAC head of roads policy Nicholas Lyes.

“This is no doubt the case for an unlucky third of owners whose vehicles fail their MOTs initially.”

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Bridgestone teams up with the 2023 EV Rally

Gareth Herincx

3 days ago
Auto News

Genesis GV60

Bridgestone has become the official tyre partner of the 2023 EV Rally.

The five-day, 1,200-mile ‘e-Rally’ will feature 50 electric vehicles stopping off at the five capital cities between July 3-7 and Bridgestone has agreed to be an official sponsor for the first time.

The EV Rally will take in EV charge points and hubs, clean energy projects and iconic landmarks, at key locations, or checkpoints (CPs).

The event will give Bridgestone the opportunity to demonstrate its innovative Enliten technology and EV Ready products such as its new Turanza 6 tyre and Duravis Van.

Bridgestone Turanza 6 tyre

Bridgestone claims its new Turanza 6 tyre is perfectly suited to hybrid and electric vehicles, helping to optimise their performance.

This includes low rolling resistance to save battery life and address range anxiety concerns, excellent control to address EV-specific driving-related issues, higher wear tolerance to combat tyre wear due to the increased weight and higher torque, and decreased noise for driver comfort owing to the near non-existent engine noise of EVs.

“We couldn’t think of a more appropriate or relevant event to partner with than the EV Rally, as we make a long-term pledge to the environment and sustainability to earn the trust of future generations,” said Bridgestone’s North Region Vice President Andrea Manenti.

“As part of our commitment to help shape a sustainable future of mobility, we’re investing to make electric mobility more efficient and accessible to drivers and fleets and the EV Rally is a brilliant campaign which shares our sustainable philosophy.

“We will be pioneering our premium, ‘EV ready’ tyres and will demonstrate their value to a huge audience over five exciting days.”

Colin Boyton, EV Rally Event Manager added: “We are delighted that Bridgestone has joined us this year as the official tyre partner. It adds a whole new strand to the messaging and narrative that we can communicate while the rally is live.

“So much is made about the range, the innovative technology in the vehicles and charging infrastructure. But what sometimes gets lost is the other key parts and elements that make EVs the right choice, in terms of efficiency, and tyres are a big part of that. Together with Bridgestone, we aim to showcase just that.”

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