New data shows that around one in seven reported vehicle breakdowns on England’s major A-roads and motorways were tyre-related during the first weekend of the summer getaway in 2023.
National Highways traffic officers attended a total of 756 reported breakdowns across the country with 124 of those related to tyres over Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 July 2023.
Meanwhile data from last year shows that between June and August 2022, there were almost 12,000 reported tyre-related breakdowns across England’s motorway and major A-road network. Some of the most prominent regions for tyre-related breakdowns included the North West region which recorded 2,195 tyre-related breakdowns closely followed by the West Midlands which totalled 1,974.
And with the summer getaway now officially under way, motorists are once again being reminded to have a safe T.R.I.P and follow the new National Highways vehicle checklist to help them reach their destination safely. National Highways Head of Road Safety, Jeremy Phillips said: “These figures are a real cause for concern, and we’d urge people to check their tyres are in good condition before setting off this summer.
“Our advice for motorists is to make sure the tyres are correctly inflated according to the load and ensure there is plenty of tread on them. We’d say good tyre tread is an important safety factor for any journey but especially so in changeable weather conditions such as heavy and sudden downpours which we’ve seen over recent weeks.
“It’s also important to check the windscreen wipers work properly and all your lights are functioning before heading off.” National Highways On-Road Team Manager, Tony Phipps added: “The new T.R.I.P acronym is a really great way for people to remember some of the basic vehicle checks they should carry out before setting off and if fuel levels are starting to run low, our advice is to leave our network either at a motorway service area or nearby filling station and top-up before continuing.
“We’re also calling on motorists to plan regular rest stops because we know that long journeys can be tiring. We’d advise people to plan breaks on their journey and factor these into the route. It’s a good opportunity to get out of the vehicle and maybe grab a coffee and some fresh air for around 15 minutes to help ward off the effects of fatigue before carrying on with the journey.”
In July and August 2022, National Highways traffic officer patrols dealt with more than 21,000 breakdowns on motorways across England, with August seeing the highest number of breakdowns in the year.
More than a third (34%) of breakdowns during these two months were caused by vehicle-related issues.
Meanwhile almost one out of four (23%) people agree checking tyre pressure is important but don’t know how to do it.
National Highways has an online guide for checking tyres along with other vehicle preparations which can be found here: https://nationalhighways.co.uk/road-safety/TRIP
Tips for motorway driving:
· never drive in a lane closed by a Red X · keep to the speed limits shown on the gantries or signs · a hard shoulder is always identified by a solid white unbroken line - if there’s no speed limit displayed above it or a Red X is displayed, do not use it except in emergency · a broken white line indicates a normal running lane · if the hard shoulder is being used as an extra lane, use the designated emergency areas for emergencies · if your vehicle experiences difficulties, eg warning light, exit the motorway as soon as possible, if you can safely do so · most breakdowns are preventable - keep your car well maintained, check your tyres and make sure you have enough fuel for your journey. Don’t stop except in an emergency. If you have to stop make sure you know what to do Please visit our web page for more information about driving on motorways. Additional information: · Motorists driving in hot weather this summer are being urged to prepare a seasonal kit to help them and their passengers in the event of delays · The top advice from National Highways is to take plenty of drinking water with you – enough for you and your passengers, as well as food that won’t be affected by the heat · Other ideas include packing sunblock, sunglasses (except category four), hats and a mobile phone charger to help in case of breakdowns. If you take medication, it is worth having a supply with you if needed · You should also check the Met Office weather forecast for your route and destination. · Almost one out of four (23%) people agree checking tyre pressure is important but don’t know how to do it. (Source: ICM Tyre Checks Campaign Evaluation, 1,000 respondents) · Collisions involving fatigue are most common over the months of July and August (Source STATS19). Approximately 1 in 15 crashes involve fatigue.
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