Michelin driver
awareness campaign highlights the importance of correct tyre
pressure
Last Saturday, 31 March,
Michelin furthered its commitment to ‘making road travel safer’ by
organising its first Australian "Easter Safety Check” event, which was held
in Narre Warren, Victoria.
Results from the exercise show that half of the
tyres checked on the day
were incorrectly inflated, thus underscoring the importance of regular
tyre
pressure checks.
The
Michelin Group wants to raise driver awareness that correctly-adjusted
tyre pressure is a vital safety measure, and to do this,
Michelin tyres
specialists checked and adjusted
tyre pressure, free of charge, and offered
practical advice to participating motorists.
“The aim of these operations is to help motorists understand that making a
habit of checking
tyre pressure can save lives” says Steven Vette, Managing
Director,
Michelin Australia.
Every year since 1985, in an ever-growing number of countries and towns,
Michelin technicians posted on motorway service areas or near main roads
have been checking the pressure and condition of the
tyres fitted on
vehicles on the road and giving motorists the benefit of their considerable
expertise.
From its very beginnings,
Michelin has been concerned for motorists' safety
and aware of the key role played by tyres.
For Michelin, safety takes on a variety of forms. It is achieved through
quality products and services which are even safer and more efficient than
ever before, both in their design and their usage throughout the product
life-cycle, constant innovations offering users ever greater safety and
awareness campaigns that bring home the importance of tyres to the wider
public.
The extension and development of these operations is central to the Michelin
Group's commitment to stronger road safety policies.
How
the "Tyre Safety Check” operation works
The operation is very simple for motorists and takes only two to three
minutes. Equipped with pressure gauges, the Michelin teams check the
vehicle’s
tyres and adjust the pressure to suit the type, size and position
of each tyre. If they detect a problem with a tyre, the Michelin technicians
will inform the driver and urge him or her to have it repaired as soon as
possible. Motorists drive off with a greater awareness of the importance of
checking tyre pressure, to ensure total driving safety with “the right
pressure”.
In the majority of European countries today, the “Fill up with air”
operation is the only source of information on the level of tyre
under-inflation. The statistics obtained are therefore a valuable aid when
it comes to informing and alerting both the public and the authorities.
April 2007 |
|
"The
right pressure": a key factor for safety, tyre mileage performance
and fuel savings
To continue driving in complete
safety over extended periods, motorists need to regularly monitor
tyre inflation pressure, as it decreases with time. Tyre pressures
should be checked at least once a month, and especially before
driving any distance at high speed, in accordance with the
manufacturer's recommendations.
This should be done when the tyres are "cold" (when the vehicle has
been stopped for at least an hour, or after only two or three
kilometres of very slow driving).
Tyre pressure has a direct impact on the way tyres and vehicles
perform, and contribute to road safety. An under-inflated tyre:
-
Reduces
road-holding capabilities
-
Increases
braking distances on wet surfaces
-
Presents a
high risk of bursting
-
Decreases
tyre wear life
-
Increases
fuel consumption (because greater rolling resistance increases
the vehicle’s energy requirements)
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