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Cambridgeshire Fire & Resue Service

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Motorists urged to make checks to drive safe

28/09/2023

This October sees the Vision Zero partnership highlighting the importance of vehicle safety, supporting TyreSafe’s national Tyre Safety Campaign.

Last year there were around 1,800 injuries on our roads due to poorly maintained or defective vehicles. These could have been avoided by carrying out simple, regular checks of a vehicles’ road worthiness, which are also essential for safe driving and ensuring legal compliance. Drivers can be fined up to £2,500 per tyre found to be in an illegal state due to condition or tread depth.

The aim of the campaign is to educate vehicle owners on how to complete safety checks on their vehicle, including how to perform their own tyre check. The campaign also aims to raise awareness about how crucial safe tyres are to ensuring the safety of road users and how to spot potentially dangerous tyres.

Kathleen Bowman, Community Fire Safety Officer of Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service said “Having a well maintained and working vehicle is a must for all car drivers, especially coming into the winter months. Poor tyres especially can lead to a longer stopping distance and reduced ability to clear water from the road surface, both of which contribute to the severity of a collision. We strongly encourage all car drivers to check their tyres this month, with lots of advice and tips on our social media channels all month. Even better, attend one of our free vehicle checking dates to learn how to check your own car and keep safe this winter.”

Throughout October, the Vision Zero Partnership will be hosting a series of free vehicle checks for members of the public to attend. Each attendee will be taught how to perform basic checks on their vehicle, including tyres, lights and wiper blades, which will include a free top-up of screen wash for every vehicle checked. Details of the times and locations of the vehicle checks are below:

  • October 2 - Dobbies Garden Centre, Royston 9.30am-4.30pm
  • October 4 - Notcutts Garden Centre, Brampton 9.30am-4.30pm
  • October 5 - Tesco Extra, Bar Hill 10am-4pm
  • October 6 - Tesco Extra, Bar Hill 10am-4pm
  • October 7 - Babraham Park and Ride, Cambridge 9.30am-4.30pm
  • October 8 - Newmarket Park and Ride, Cambridge 11.30am-5pm
  • October 11 - Tesco Extra, Serpentine Green, Hampton 9.30am-2.30pm
  • October 13 - BlueDiamond Garden Centre, Peterborough 10am-3pm
  • October 19 - Scottsdale Garden Centre, Fordham 10am-4pm
  • October 20 - Tesco Extra, March 10am-4pm
  • October 22 - Milton Park and Ride, Cambridge 11.30am-5pm
  • October 23 - Tesco Extra, Huntingdon 10.30am-4pm
  • October 28 - Madingley Road Park and Ride, Cambridge 9.30am-4.30pm
  • October 29 - Trumpington Park and Ride, Cambridge 11.30am-5pm
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