It’s Tyre Safety Month this October and the council’s Road Safety team is providing free advice and resources for Knowsley residents.
The Road Safety team will be attending Age Friendly events happening at leisure centres across the borough where they will be giving out tyre safety resources, including tread buddy measures as well as information and advice on car seats, drink and drug driving, safer cycling and more.
You can see the team on the following dates:
- Wednesday 11th October, 9.30am – 3.30pm Kirkby Leisure Centre
- Thursday 19th October, 9.30am – 3.30pm Stockbridge Village Leisure Centre
- Tuesday 24th October, 9.30am – 3.30pm, Halewood Leisure Centre
Drivers can also pick up free resources from the following garages:
- ATS, Wilson Road, Huyton L36 6AN
- The Tyre Outlet, 296 Liverpool Road, Huyton L36 3RN
- Euro Tyres, 2-4 Elm Street, Huyton, L36 6BE
Cllr Tony Brennan, Knowsley’s Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development said:
“During Tyre Safety month we are taking the opportunity to remind vehicle owners about the importance of regularly checking the condition of their vehicle’s tyres. Our Road Safety team will be giving away free resources to help people do this and also providing advice on tyre safety and other topics.”
Whether you’re driving a car, van, motorbike, or another vehicle, tyre safety is important at any time of the year. Find out how you can keep your tyres safe all year round…
Check your tyre pressure
Correct tyre pressure is vital to stay safe on the road. Underinflated tyres affect handling and grip and are more likely to suffer a failure.
Overinflated tyres can cause the outer tread on tyres to wear out slower than the centre of the tyre and can also reduce the length of time that tyres will last.
Tyres should be inflated in line with your vehicle manufacturers’ recommendations and should be checked with a reliable pressure gauge weekly if possible but at least once a month and always before a long journey.
You can check what the correct pressure should be for your car by entering your car registration on the Tyre Safe website.
Make sure they have the correct tread depth
Tyre treads help your tyres drive safely in wet conditions as the tread grooves remove water from the contact patch between tyres and the road surface. This helps your car to brake, steer and accelerate properly.
It is important to regularly check the tread depth of your car tyres to ensure that they’re well above the legal minimum requirement of 1.6mm. Driving with tyres below this limit is not only a safety hazard but also puts you at risk of incurring a fine of £2,500 and three penalty points per tyre. Ideally, you should check your car tyres at least weekly with a thorough check every month.
For motorbikes and other vehicles, visit the Tyre Safety website.
Make sure they are in good condition
Your tyres are in constant contact with the road and as such they suffer a lot of wear and tear, even if you drive carefully. This is why it’s vital that you keep an eye on the condition of your tyres.
Any lumps or bulges must be examined by a tyre specialist as it could mean there is some internal damage.
For more information about Tyre Safety Month 2023 and about tyre safety, visit the Tyre Safe website.
You can also email roadsafety@knowsley.gov.uk for advice on keeping safe on the road and to request a free tyre tread keyring to check that the tread depth of your tyres is safe.