Motorists are being asked to ensure they are safe on the roads this winter by making sure their vehicles are safe to drive and that they plan ahead for hazardous conditions.
Warwickshire Fire & Rescue Service (WFRS), a key partner of Warwickshire Road Safety Partnership, recently carried out six Road Safety events at different locations across the County.
The safety checks follow guidance from Highways England and include checking over tyres, oil and screen wash levels.
As well as carrying out the checks, the team supports drivers to undertake the checks themselves, so they learn how to do them and change their behaviours for the future.
Of the 170 drivers whose vehicles were inspected, 170 needed a top up of screen wash, 14 vehicles had defective tyres and 3 had no oil in their vehicle.
These checks saved the drivers money, buying £20 can of oil instead of a full engine repair or worse and preventing a collision should the engine have failed on the road.
Having proper tread on your tyres means a better fuel economy and reduces the risk of being involved in a serious collision, particularly when braking and cornering.
Warwickshire Road Safety Partners work together to bring different aspects of road safety to the table at these events. They are effective for getting different messages across to people, from mature drivers to young drivers, drivers with car seats, plus home fire safety advice.
As part of these events, Warwickshire County Council invited cyclists to bring their bikes along to be looked at by an experienced Dr. Bike mechanic. During these bicycle safety checks, brakes, gears, and tyres were all checked, and the mechanic was able to make on-the-spot minor adjustments to improve safety and advise on any maintenance issues.
During these checks they also encourage to people to rethink their mode of transport to work during the current energy crisis, suggesting - when possible - walking, using a bicycle or car sharing.
The events provided a one-stop shop of safety information for cars, motorbikes and cycles.
Warwickshire County Councillor, Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and Fire, Andy Crump said: “It is important to regularly check your car and ensure that it is in a good, roadworthy condition.
“These checks help to reduce the risk of collision; for example having a poor tyre tread or incorrect pressure on your tyres significantly increases your chances of being involved in a serious collision.
“It’s also great to see the safety advice branch out into active travel, particularly helping people with their bicycles and ensuring they remain safe out on our highways.
“We encourage you to follow the guidance Warwickshire Fire and Rescue sets out, or head down to one of our vehicle testing events near you over the coming months.”
WFRS is encouraging residents to carry out winter vehicle safety checks as per the Highways England guidance. People should check:
- Tyre depth
- Tyre pressure
- Lights
- Oil check
- Window screen wash and wipers
For more information about vehicle safety, visit: https://warksroadsafety.org/vehicle-checks/.