22-05-2007
Tyre safety warning for business fleet cars
Companies with business fleets are being urged to ensure that they conduct safety checks on vehicles' tyres on a regular basis, after research revealed that many firms are failing to maintain their fleet adequately.
A study commissioned by fleet management firm Arval revealed that 11 per cent of business drivers never even consider their tyres, and 18 per cent only check them every three months.
A vehicle could be involved in a high-speed collision if a tyre were to burst while on the road, possibly causing injury to road users and almost certainly leading to a rise in van insurance premiums for the vehicle concerned.
Arval's head of market analysis, Mike Waters, warned: "If tyres are not regularly checked, at best a company will take a hit on its fuel expenditure, at worst it could lead to drivers being banned or being involved in collisions."
Van insurance customers are therefore advised to ensure they check their tyres on a regular basis as part of a regular vehicle maintenance check.
A recent survey by the RAC also revealed that 14 per cent of vehicles in a major fleet would fail an MoT because of illegal tyres.
