The theme and creative approach for Tyre Safety Month 2014 (October) were unveiled at the annual TyreSafe Industry Briefing in Solihull yesterday (16 July).
Tyre Safety Month is an annual campaign organised by TyreSafe, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of correct tyre maintenance and the dangers of defective and worn tyres. Campaign materials are made available free of charge to road safety teams and other stakeholders.
TyreSafe says that Tyre Safety Month 2013 was the biggest yet, with 250,000 leaflets and posters distributed and 32 events organized in partnership with local councils.
The 2014 Tyre Safety Month campaign is designed to raise awareness about the importance of driving on tyres with adequate tread depth and, following the wettest winter on record, includes advice about minimising the risk of aquaplaning. The campaign theme is ‘Driving Rain, Driving Safe’.
Stuart Jackson, chairman of TyreSafe, said: “The weather last winter was truly treacherous and at times like these, it’s essential that your tyres are safe and legal.
“This October we will remind drivers about this by asking them to take the 20p test or to visit a local retailer for a free tyre safety check.
“However, we can only achieve so much on our own and I’d like to call upon as many (road safety) organisations as possible to join us in raising awareness during the month and help make it the most successful tyre safety month to date.”
Campaign materials, which are made available FOC to road safety teams and other stakeholders, include leaflets, posters and digital assets including an animation and video demonstrating the dangers of aquaplaning.
TyreSafe has also launched a dedicated campaign microsite with other resources including case studies from previous campaigns, highlighting how partners have developed successful local community initiatives to boost the campaign’s reach and effectiveness.
The TyreSafe Industry Briefing included a panel session featuring Michelle Watkins from the Bedfordshire & Luton Casualty Reduction Partnership. During the 2013 campaign Michelle partnered with TyreSafe to organize free tyre safety checks at locations across her area, and also ran local radio and social media campaigns.
A recurring theme during the TyreSafe briefing was the strong potential for partnership working between public sector stakeholders (and in particular road safety teams) and the tyre industry in order to raise awareness of the dangers of defective and worn tyres.
Without some legal backing the TyreSafe Campaign cannot achieve enough – while folk are strapped for cash they will take risks unless pressed to do otherwise. Jo Public see their cars as their own safe box and do not realise how important tyres are. Tyre safety has to be high priority. Age/tread/pressure are all important – how often do folk even check pressures? The recession has made things much worse and folk take risks because they can’t make ends meet!
Win STOCKTON ON TEES
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Hugh – because tackling too many subjects at the same time means loss of focus?
Idris Francis Fight Back With Facts Petersfield
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Puzzled by the number of disagrees. Do people not think the other aspects of driving in the wet are equally worth highlighting? Why the emphasis on just the one aspect of vehicles?
Hugh Jones, Cheshire
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Strange that age of the tyres is not mentioned, as tyres that look good and indeed unused can kill if they are too old.
Idris Francis Fight Back With Facts
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If there’s a ‘tyre safety month’, shouldn’t there also be a ‘brake safety month’ or an ‘ABS awareness month’ ‘driving too fast in the wet’ awareness month etc.? They all go together.
Hugh Jones, Cheshire
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