When it comes to safe driving, we need to make sure our vehicles are well maintained. Unfortunately, most parents in the UAE taking their kids to school do not even bother checking their car tires. This has been proven by Continental, the premium tire, and automotive manufacturer, in two studies which they conducted in association with YouGov and GEMS Modern Academy Dubai. The first study conducted by YouGov on tire safety brought to us surprising results.
YouGov found out the frequency with which parents follow car inspection. They also inspected tire health of parents’ vehicles parked there. It was found that 52% parents taking their kids to school in routine didn’t even get their tires inspected last month. Out of these, one in four even didn’t remember when they visited a tire shop for inspection last time. This is a big concern for child safety. Every car owner must inspect their tires once in a month in any case.
Subsequently, Continental’s local associate Universal Tires (EUT) inspected tires of 204 vehicles parked at the GEMS Modern Academy Dubai. This was done to raise awareness among parents on tire safety. Surprisingly, one out of ten vehicles needed a tire replacement.
Continental and EUT team inspected air pressure, tread depth, wear, and punctures. They found, seven in ten vehicles were properly inflated while more than a quarter was under-inflated. Under-inflated tires are a major reason for irregular tread wear (found in 31 vehicles) and side-wall damage (observed on 14 of the parked cars).
Commenting on the tire safety campaign, Nargish Khambatta, Principal of GEMS Modern Academy in Dubai, said: “Our children’s safety is always our priority and such programmes are significant as they educate parents on the importance of road safety”.
According to the Ministry of Interior and National Transport Authority, 230 people died on the UAE roads in 2017.
Commenting on the survey, Thomas Edelmann, Managing Director, RoadSafetyUAE, commented: “Tyre safety is a high concern in the UAE, especially considering the harsh climate. We experience tire debris on our roads pretty much every day and this should serve as a warning. Tire safety is even more relevant in the context of transporting our kids – we just want to make sure we transport our children in the safest possible manner. Caring parents should regularly check the condition of their vehicle and in particular the tire condition by pre-drive checks. We welcome this initiative of our CSR-partner Continental.”