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Almost one in three parents could be driving their children around on dangerous rubber, according to analysis from ProTyre. The findings come from a new YouGov survey which found under a third of road users with children under the age of 18 check their tyres every less than every three months.
Some parents even admit they never check their tyres despite the considerable safety risks.
Simon Hiorns, Protyre Retail Director revealed the latest findings were “very alarming” due to the risks involved.
Mr Hiorns said that it was “concerning” that parents were not taking part in more regular vehicle checks to keep their children safe.
They have urged road users to heck their rubber for any signs of issues at least once a month.
“These findings from our latest survey are very alarming and raise concerns about how much the public are taking on board the importance of tyre safety,” said Mr Hiorns.
“As part of TyreSafe Tyre Safety month, Protyre wants to remind parents and motorists generally, that tyre safety is just as important as things like seat belts and child car seats.
“It’s extremely concerning, as our survey results show, that parents are failing to carry out frequent and adequate enough checks on their vehicle’s tyres and as a result are putting their children at risk by driving on potentially dangerous tyres.
“This year’s Tyre Safety Month campaign message to motorists is to ACT; a call to action to check tyres a least once a month for Air pressure, Condition and Tread depth.
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“By using this easy to remember acronym motorists can act now to ensure their tyres are safe.”
His comments come as ProTyre reveals that the number of illegal tyres taken off vehicles hit an all-time high in 2018.
A massive 58.9 percent of tyres taken off vehicles were not compliant with regulations in a major blow.
ProTyre reveals that the figures have remained consistently round the 58 percent mark over the last two years.
Despite this, a total of three in four parents said they still considered tyre safety to be very important on vehicles.
Protyre says that this acts as evidence that drivers are not putting their level of awareness into practice.
Drivers who decide to run underinflated or bald tyres can risk heavy penalties such as fines.
Police officers can issue a massive £2,500 fine and three points per tyre which is under legal limits.
This means that in some severe cases road users could be issued £10,000 fines and 12 points which would lead to a temporary driving ban.
Insurance providers may also invalidate a policy in the event of an accident where a faulty tyre may have been the case.
The RAC urges drivers to ensure there is at least 3mm tread remaining on a tyre to avoid any serious issues.
They warn that the difference in wet braking between vehicles with 3mm tread and 16mm tread can be as high as 44 percent.
Worn tyres can be dangerous in the wet because tread helps dispense water from the contact patch and the road.
A lack of tyre tread can therefore increase the risk of drivers losing control of their cat and possibly aquaplaning.
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