Fifth Gear Host Keys Worn Tire Videos

The U.K.’s leading online tire retailer etyres is teaming up with the host of the Popular Fifth Gear TV show to produce two consumer-focused videos showing the dangers of driving on worn tires.

Hosted by Vicki Butler-Henderson, who is also a spokesperson for the U.K.’s Tyre Safety Month, the videos are now available at the TyreSafe Web site – tyresafe.org – and at etyres.co.uk.

Shot at the Motor Industry Research Association in Nuneaton, England, the videos graphically show how dangerous wet braking can be on worn tires. As Butler-Henderson says in the video, stopping on a wet road with tires at 1.6mm can extend braking distance by 8 meters vs. new tires.

Worn and defective tires are a serious road safety risk and research by TyreSafe has shown that almost 75% of all cars on U.K. roads have tires that are underinflated, TyreSafe says. Vehicle handling can be adversely affected by underinflated tires, leading to a potential accident.