Bridgestone and Merityre Encourage Drivers to ‘Be Road Safety Heroes’

Ahead of the busy summer getaway, Bridgestone and Merityre are urging motorists to “Be Road Safety Heroes” after a free tyre-checking day at Waitrose Abingdon on 12 July revealed that four in ten cars needed action.

Safety day findings

▢ 54 vehicles inspected
▢ 8 required urgent tyre work
▢ 15 advised to monitor tread or pressure soon
▢ Overall, 41 % showed wear or under-inflation that could compromise safety

Merityre Director Dene Arnold said the figures were “eye-opening” and stressed the need for regular tyre checks.

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Why tyre checks matter

Tyres form the only contact patch between a car and the road, roughly the size of a postcard per wheel. Worn tread or low pressure reduces grip, lengthens braking distances and increases the risk of blow-outs, particularly when cars are heavily loaded for holiday travel.

Quick pre-journey checklist

▢ Measure tread depth (legal minimum 1.6 mm; aim for 3 mm)
▢ Set pressures to the vehicle handbook’s laden figures
▢ Look for cracking, bulges or embedded objects
▢ Check the spare or tyre repair kit is serviceable

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Community engagement at Waitrose

Bridgestone’s team held nearly 200 conversations with drivers, distributing tread-depth trolley tokens and postcards to reinforce the ‘Be Road Safety Heroes’ message. Waitrose Abingdon provided space and promoted the checks to customers.

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Digital tread scanners, in-car pressure monitoring and connected fleet platforms are making it easier to spot tyre issues before they become critical. As these tools move from commercial fleets into the passenger-car market, regular manual checks remain essential, especially ahead of long summer trips.

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Tagged with: tyre safety, Bridgestone, Merityre, ‘Be Road Safety Heroes’, tread depth, tyre pressure, road safety, summer holiday travel, UK tyre checks

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