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When Best to Change your Fleet’s Tyres
08 October 2018
When first taking on the responsibility as a fleet manager, it brings about a big change to your normal regime and can be difficult to adjust to this new life. As you begin to assume the role of a health and safety advocate over your fleet drivers, it is important to keep on top of vehicle maintenance, especially the tyres with regards to safety, cost and compliance.
Each of these elements of tyre management have a knock-on effect on each other. Waiting on the tyres to fulfil their lifespan is a dangerous tactic, as the closer to the 1.6mm tread depth they reach, the more chance you run of breaking the law. Fleets who fail to comply with these laws risk a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty points for each tyre on the vehicle, a hefty price to pay!
New tyres usually have a 8mm of depth tread. Typically within the industry, fleets operate a standard minimum policy of 2mm depth for tyres, although organisations such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and the National Tyres Distributors Association suggest tyres to be changed at 3mm to stay on the safe site.
Tyre management and safety is often overlooked, as there is a tendency to forget that these are a vital component of the vehicle most at risk of damage. The tread of the tyre is crucial on wet roads, as it allows water to be channelled away, giving the vehicle additional grip on the road surface beneath. If the tread wears too low, navigating around tight corners, braking speeds and overall performance suffers.
In a recent study, the French manufacturer Michelin found that changing tyres with 3mm of tread left (which is almost double the current UK legal minimum of 1.6mm), could cost European drivers an extra £6.9billion a year. This additional cost would incur tyre changes, extra fuel consumption due to increased friction on the road surface and more regular services for the vehicle.
In conclusion, it is extremely important to keep an eye on each vehicle within your fleet. The tyres of each vehicle should be carefully monitored on a regular basis to keep morale high among those using these vehicles, knowing they are in safe hands. Marshall Leasing are happy to assist in this procedure, and have an array of expertise throughout the team to help at any stage.
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