Press Releases

Delticom Report "Tyres Online 2011": Danger lurks on our summer roads

The safety consciousness of European drivers is alarming

Delticom AG, Hanover - 31/05/2011
Many car drivers in Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, and Spain put themselves and others in extreme danger by changing their (summer) tyres only when it is literally too late. This is the result of a representative study in the respective countries, based on the 2011 Delticom Report, a study conducted by renowned market research institutes.*¹ A total of 5,000 drivers were questioned concerning their attitude with respect to online shopping for tyres, and their reasons for their purchasing decision.

The causes for this concern are the alarming results of surveys taken and questions received from drivers who are travelling the roads in this country and the motorways of our neighbours. In Germany, 88% of those polled are of the opinion that the purchase of new summer tyres is only necessary after considerable tyre damage has been detected. 83% consider the purchase of a new tyre only necessary when "convinced" to do so during a TÜV inspection or if threatened with a fine. In the United Kingdom, 62% of drivers take the same casual approach when it comes to their safety and the safety of other motorists. Forty-two percent of all Brits don't feel it is necessary to change their tyres until the minimum tread depth drops below 1.6 mm. In France, 35% of all drivers find it necessary to purchase new summer tyres after they have detected serious damage to their tyres. Sixty percent of all drivers surveyed do not find it necessary to purchase new tires until the minimum tread depth is less than 1.6 mm. In Italy (18%) and Spain (40%) of those drivers polled find it is necessary to purchase new summer tyres once considerable tyre damage has been noticed. If the tread depth of a tyre is less than 4 mm, 44% of those surveyed in Italy and 71% of Spanish drivers are ready to buy new summer tyres.

"Tyres are the only link between the vehicle and the road surface and, without a doubt, they are the most important safety factor. Therefore, it is even more alarming to know that there are a considerable number of drivers on the road with defective tyres. In this context, experts constantly point out how important it is to drive only with undamaged, properly functioning tyres. Drivers should pay attention to the minimum tread depth of their tyres", comments Rainer Binder, CEO of Delticom AG, referring to the worrisome results.

The less profile a tyre has, the longer the vehicle's brake distance on a wet surface becomes - and the danger of aquaplaning is elevated. It increases the risk of an accident, even at low speeds. Tyre experts recommend not letting the safety tread depth on summer tires drop below 3 mm and use the same tyre profile on all axes. In order to maximize driving comfort, all tyres should have the same profile depth on each axis.

*¹ In Germany: Forsa
In France: Benchmark
In Great Britain: FastMAP
In Italy: Ipsos
In Spain: Gather Estudios

*² Source: BRV, Bonn (Germany)

Information about our company: delti.com

Online tyre shops in:
Germany: ReifenDirekt.de
France: 123pneus.fr
Great Britain: mytyres.co.uk
Italy: gommadiretto.it
Spain: neumaticos-online.es