Launching the second year of Think Before You Drive at the Geneva Motor Show, the FIA Foundation and Bridgestone warned drivers that they are putting themselves, other road users and the environment at risk by neglecting car tyres.
Checks on tyre tread depths and pressure levels in 10 European countries have shown that too many motorists still neglect their tyres, leading to enormous individual and social costs. The free check-ups on 8,700 cars were conducted by Bridgestone in 2005 as part of the Think Before You Drive campaign and included 6 Grand Prix F1 venues in conjunction with the FIA Foundation. Results showed that the incidence of under-inflation is alarmingly high, with 44% of cars having at least one tyre at low pressure level. In addition to these motorists, a further 50% of drivers had some degree of under-inflation.
Many motorists seem unaware of the fact that a tyre loses pressure naturally over time, like a balloon, and that driving on incorrect pressure is dangerous and expensive.
Beyond the dangers of reduced handling control, low tyre pressure has an extremely negative effect on tyre durability, due to excessive shear stress in the tyre shoulder and strong heat build-up from sidewall bending. Based on the “Think Before You Drive” pressure-check results, 12.5% of drivers, or 1 in 8, face a high risk and possible tyre failure due to these factors. A further 1.2% of motorists can be considered to be in imminent danger.
The effect on tyre wear is no less dramatic. Based on 2005 tyre-check data, Bridgestone’s Technical Centre Europe calculates that the 44% of motorists at risk are losing 20.7% of tyre wear life – an average of 10.000 km or 9 months of tyre use (based on an average wear life of 50.000 km and annual mileage of 13.600 km). A further 50% of motorists are losing 5.2% of tyre wear life; an average of 2.500 km or 2 months of tyre use. Adding these two groups together shows that 25.9% of tyre wear is being lost through under-inflation.
Inflation pressure has a strong influence on tyre rolling resistance, which is itself a key factor in determining vehicle fuel consumption. Depending on type of road and driving style, rolling resistance represents 18% to 26% of the total force on a vehicle. Since low inflation increases rolling resistance, it has a direct effect on fuel efficiency and emissions.
Based on the check-up sample, Bridgestone’s Technical Centre Europe has calculated that 44% of vehicles face increased fuel consumption of 2.9% due to under-inflation; an average per vehicle of almost € 40/year (based on average fuel consumption of 8.4l/100 km and 13.600 km/year). A further 50% of the motoring public loses over 1% in fuel efficiency through failing to maintain correct tyre pressure.
Projected on a European basis of 197.5 million cars, this means that more than 8.4 billion litres of additional petrol and diesel costing €10 billion are being consumed due to under-inflation, releasing an additional 19.2 million tons of C0² into the atmosphere.
This tyre safety message, and the other vital road safety messages of Think Before You Drive, will be promoted in more than 40 countries during 2006, added to the 20+ countries, including several in Europe and Africa, Brazil and China, running the campaign during 2005. Max Mosley, President of the FIA, and David Ward, Director General of the FIA Foundation, joined Bridgestone’s EU President, Minekazu Fujimura at the Geneva Motor Show to kick off the 2006 campaign, which is already spanning the globe in March, with national events in Norway, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Australia.