Tyres are important

Sir, I would like to take this opportunity, just ahead of Road Safety Week, to highlight the importance of tyre safety.

Your vehicle’s tyres are the only part of the vehicle which actually touch the road surface. Acceleration, braking, steering and cornering all depend on your tyres and their contact with the road – that is how important they are.

The law indicates that to be legal there must be a minimum of 1.6mm of tread across the central three-quarters of the tyre and around the circumference.

Here is a tip for checking your tyre tread depth if you do not have a gauge. You take a 20p piece and place it within the tread. If you can see the outer rim of the coin, then the tyre is approaching the legal limit and you should seriously consider replacing it.

In winter, good tyre depth is as important as ever. I cannot emphasise this point enough. I ask motorists to please check their vehicle tyres now and make sure they are legal.

I have come up with the mnemonic ‘TREAD’ to highlight my message. If you have tyres with a good tread and grip you reduce you chance of losing traction, control and a collision. T-tyre safety R-reduces risks of E-everyday A-accidents and even D-death Road Safety Week – www.roadsafetyweek.org. uk – is the UK’s biggest road safety event, co-ordinated annually by Brake, the road safety charity.

It will take place between November 20 and 26 with the aim of inspiring schools, organisations and communities to take action on road safety and promote life-saving messages during the week and beyond.

David Stewart, Highlands and Islands Regional MSP and road safety campaigner.