Safe holidays 2013
Safe holidays 2013
16/07/2013

For over ten years the police has been carrying out, in summertime, a series of random inspections (called "Safe Holidays") on Italian drivers' tires. The results collected by the Traffic Police and Assogomme between 10th and 21st June have highlighted that 12.1% of 7000 inspected vehicles show at least one irregularity related to tires.
In decrease on previous years it is the percentage of smooth tires (2,7%), of visibly damaged tires (3%) and of unapproved tires (2%). The data vary nevertheless on the Italian territory with more elevated percentages in southern Italy.
In spite of the campaigns to raise public awareness, which have seen Giuliano Industrial among the promoters, the number of vehicles circulating with winter tires (in June) is definitely increasing (11,38%). Furthermore, for the first time this year it has been found a mixed configuration (two winter tires mounted on drive-wheels and summer tires on the resting two).
Tyre manufacturers do however advise against this combination of tires, which is subject to sanctions by ministerial Directive 16/01/2013.
Among the main causes of this situation there's certainly the economical crisis that leads the drivers to adopt makeshift solutions to save money. The ageing of Italian car fleet (10 years and 4months is the life average of a car, increasing on 2005) matched to the decrease of sales in 2013 create the feeling that the failure of tire ordinary servicing (passed from 2,7% to 4,62%) will go on influencing the number of "not conform" cars.
According to Giuseppe Pottocar, Director of Aci Modena, "there's still a lot to do to promote a safe circulation, starting from tire (that's essential but more and more neglected). Since in Italy there are over 5.000 tire professionals who can offer tires inflation and a visual check of them, for free, I suggest the drivers to take advantage of this opportunity. It is also important to periodically refresh the spare wheel pressure and check tire condition of trailers and campers that lie usually still for eleven months and that can present, beside the classic underinflation, also permanent tire deformations".