Abu Dhabi: Road safety officials and experts have reminded truck drivers in the UAE to conduct regular tyre rotation to prolong the lifespan of the tyre and avoid accidents caused by damaged tyres.
Recently, the Integrated Transport Centre in Abu Dhabi, Al Masaood, Bridgestone and RoadSafetyUAE teamed up for an initiative to raise awareness about tyres among truck drivers. They conducted an inspection of truck tyres condition and also held an interactive awareness campaign.
A total of 276 truck tyres were checked at Abu Dhabi’s Mussafah truck weighing station. The findings showed two per cent of tyres inspected were under-inflated and two per cent were over-inflated. Even more dangerous, six per cent of tyres were damaged and eight per cent of tyre valves were not even accessible.
Tyre rotation (from front to back and left to right) was found needed in 42 per cent of tyres checked and 43 per cent of valve caps were unsatisfactory.
Salah Adib, general manager at Al Masaood Tyres, Batteries and Accessories Division, said: “The quality and use of a tyre plays a significant role in fuel consumption and truck emissions due to its rolling resistance. The effectiveness and road handling of tyres, and therefore their safety, performance, ride comfort, and stability on loose or wet roads is influenced not only by their age and wear and tear, but also by inflation pressure. With the correct inflation pressure, tyres will work better, wear less and improve vehicle fuel consumption as result of a lower rolling resistance.”
Enhancing safety
In addition to the tyre checks, 75 truck drivers also attended safety awareness sessions. Sumaya Saeed Al Neyadi, section head of Road Safety in ITC Abu Dhabi said: “We are committed to improve road safety in line with the vision of the authorities of Abu Dhabi and of UAE Federal level, and this initiative of truck safety is a particular interest to ITC and the society of the UAE.”
Stefano Sanchini, regional managing director, Bridgestone Middle East and Africa, said: “Proactive tyre maintenance is crucial, in order to help fleet owners maximise uptime. Routine inspections help enhance safety, while also improving profitability, especially with off-the-road tires and rims/wheels, which require maintenance by operators before every shift.”
