Oct 24 , 2011
- More than 1,300 drivers surveyed in Cairo as part of Bridgestone’s Tyre Safety and Eco Station Campaign - Almost half of respondents do not practice regular tyre checks, unaware of correct air pressure Cairo, October 24, 2011 – Bridgestone Middle East and Africa FZE today unveiled results from a survey on Egyptian vehicle owners’ approach to tyre safety. The findings reveal that almost half of all respondents (45 per cent) do not check the condition of their vehicle’s tyres and three quarters (74 per cent) do not know what a tread wear indicator is. The survey was conducted during the Bridgestone Tyre Safety and Eco Station roadshow held in Cairo at City Stars Mall last month. A total of 1,316 people, mainly aged between 21 and 40 (76 per cent), took part in the survey, and more than nine out of ten respondents (95 per cent) were male. “Our survey results show all too clearly that many drivers are unaware of basic tyre safety measures and travel in vehicles that are potentially unsafe for them, their families and friends,” said Mr. Shoichi Sakuma, President of Bridgestone Middle East & Africa. “For all those people who drive, checking the proper condition of your tyres should be a routine habit, like filling up with petrol.” As a safety measure it is recommended that tyre checks for air pressure and tread wear should be carried out at least once a month. The good news for Egyptian drivers and passengers is that, according to the Bridgestone survey, of those drivers who practiced tyre checks almost two out of three (65 per cent) claimed to do so on a monthly basis or even more frequently – either weekly or every time they drive. The remaining respondents conducted tyre checks either annually (5 per cent) or quarterly (27 per cent), exposing themselves and their passengers to unnecessary and easily avoidable risk. Of those who declared never to check their tyres, the principal reason for failing to do so was a lack of knowledge, with more than half of those who didn’t check (57 per cent) saying ‘I do not know how’. The other reasons given in the survey were ‘I don’t find it important’ (9 per cent), ‘I forget to do so’ (12 per cent), ‘I am busy’ (20 per cent) and ‘It’s a bother’ (2 per cent). “Checking tyre pressure and tread-wear is something that is very easy to do and is extremely important. It is an essential task that every driver should learn to carry out, especially here in Egypt which has one of the highest rates of road fatalities in the world,” added Mr. Sakuma. “Implementing some quick and easy checks before driving can really increase the level of safety on our roads and help reduce the number of road accidents and fatalities.” Equally alarming are levels of awareness among respondents about the correct air pressure measurement (psi/kpa/bars) to be maintained in their tyres, with almost half (46 per cent) of respondents stating they ‘do not know’ or ‘not sure’ what it should be. Proper tyre air pressure varies according to vehicle type. Drivers should check on the driver’s door or petrol cap, or in the owner’s manual for the correct air pressure to be maintained in their tyres. An even greater number (74 per cent) did not know about the ‘tread wear indicator’ on tyres, which are small triangular marks around the tyre sidewall which indicates the minimum level that the tyre tread can wear down for safe use. Additionally, almost two thirds (65 per cent) of all survey participants did not know that there was a relationship between tyre safety and eco friendliness. “Driving a vehicle on properly inflated tyres helps to reduce rolling resistance, which aids in reducing fuel consumption thereby reducing CO2 emissions which helps the environment,” said Mr Sakuma. As direct encouragement for families and drivers to practice tyre safety, Bridgestone freely distributed tyre safety compact gauges to mall-goers and survey participants during its Tyre Safety and Eco Station Campaign in City Stars Mall in September. All people visiting the station also had the opportunity to learn and practice how to use them with the assistance of Bridgestone staff. The ‘Tyre Safety and Eco Station’ campaign was developed by Bridgestone Middle East and Africa FZE to help lower the levels of road traffic accidents through education and awareness on proper tyre care and maintenance. Before stopping in Cairo, the roadshow toured six major cities across GCC - Muscat, Doha, Riyadh, Kuwait City, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai – between February and July this year.
