TyreSafe, the UK’s tyre safety charity, is launching a new awareness campaign aimed at all those who drive with children on board.
Research shows that children can clock up around three hours a week in the car with their parents and around 96 hours per year with grandparents at the wheel.
Friends, childminders, and guardians may also be regularly transporting kids of all ages to nursery, school, clubs, parties, and other activities. Worryingly, more than one in four carers may be driving with illegal or poorly maintained tyres.
The 'Home Safely on Safe Tyres' campaign highlights the importance of tyres in keeping drivers and their young passengers safe while on the roads. It also emphasises to all drivers entrusted with child care that it is their responsibility to check the condition of their car’s tyres.
With the message ‘Child care - Tyre care’, the posters, leaflets, and animation advise how drivers can carry out general tyre maintenance themselves. Alternatively, drivers can ask a tyre professional to ensure their tyres’ air pressure, condition, and tread depth are safe and legal. These materials will be distributed across relevant supporter facilities with further partnership enquiries welcome to [email protected].
Stuart Jackson, chairman of TyreSafe, said: “With child care responsibilities spread among different people, many of whom will be driving their young charges to and fro, it’s important that everyone in that care network regularly makes sure their car’s tyres are safe.
"Car tyres are the only part of the car in contact with the road, which makes their maintenance essential for road safety. Whether you are a parent, grandparent, or guardian, checking your tyres once a month is crucial for keeping yourself and your passengers safe on the road. Let’s make sure we get them home safely on safe tyres.”
This year’s carer campaign follows the success of the 2016 awareness drive aimed at mums-to-be.
