It’s crucial for drivers to maintain safe levels of tyre tread and pressure all year round for both their own safety, and the safety of other road users.
That’s the verdict of Karl Baker, Halfords’ mobile expert operations director, on the back of the results of a tyre safety game launched by the retailer in October 2021.
The game, ‘20,000 Miles in Two Minutes’, condenses a tyre’s 20,000-mile lifespan into two minutes – testing how drivers react to and overcome road hazards as they make their way along a dual carriageway.
The hazards cause tread depth, tyre pressure and bulging issues. If players keep their tyres at a safe legal level, they successfully complete the game. If not, they risk being pulled over by the virtual police.
The aim of the game is to test drivers’ tyre knowledge; identifying gaps and filling them by teaching the legal tread depth and tyre pressure requirements drivers must meet to make UK roads safer.
The game has been played more than 7,000 times, with 96% of players driving with low tyre pressure and 60% with tread depth below the legal limit.
Some 78% of players were pulled over by the virtual police.
Responding to the figures, Halfords has expressed concern over the ‘apparent lack of understanding around tyre safety standards’ – adding that this could be ‘alarming’ if translated into how tyres are used on UK roads.
Karl Baker said: “It’s crucial for drivers to maintain safe levels of tyre tread and pressure all year round for both their own safety, and the safety of other road users.
“Our game data suggests not all drivers may be aware of what those safe legal limits are.
“While this does not directly translate into real world road data, our simulation suggests a lack of tyre safety knowledge could pose a threat to road safety.”
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