TyreSafe Warns Against Consumers’ e-Commerce Errors
The rise in online tyre shopping seems set to remain ongoing, but will this trend prompt another more worrying development in terms of consumers fitting appropriate tyres to their equipment? Tyresafe believes that as e-Commerce continues to boom motorists looking to online retailers for their next pair of tyres are putting their safety at risk by selecting tyres with a lower speed symbol than recommended for their car. This error is not always made unintentionally, says the campaign; in fact, there is a danger that some customers are deliberately choosing lower speed rated tyres due to the lower prices yielded in online comparisons. With safe vehicle handling largely dependent on using the right type of tyres for the car, TyreSafe is urging motorists to consider that selecting tyres of the recommended size, load index and speed symbol is essential to safe driving.
Stuart Jackson, chairman of TyreSafe comments that, “When shopping for tyres, many motorists hold the misconception that their choice of speed symbol should be determined by how fast they drive. The reality is that a tyre’s speed symbol is not just a measure of the tyre’s maximum speed capability; it also provides an indication of overall performance, even at lower speeds. While many motorists may be feeling the pinch in the current economic climate, we would encourage them not to compromise on road safety. Driving on tyres with a lower speed symbol than recommended may seriously compromise vehicle handling, putting the driver and other road users at risk. It could also cause irreversible damage through exaggerated wear or sidewall cracking.”