Dubai Police, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and Michelin recently collaborated to promote tyre safety initiatives, aiming at raising awareness of the dangers associated with driving on unsafe tyres on the roads.

Michelin and RTA have contributed to the recent road safety campaign event targeting truck drivers, launched by Dubai Police. During the event, Brigadier-General Saif Muhair Al Mazrouei, director-general of the Dubai Traffic Department, said that the campaign aims to educate truck drivers about traffic safety, by hosting lectures to advise them on security procedures. Brigadier-General Al Mazrouei added that truck drivers can also benefit from complimentary inspection of tyres.

“We are pleased to be part of these initiatives as we believe tyres, while critical to safety, are often overlooked by drivers.” said Mohamed Aqel, general manager of Central Trading Company (CTC) of Al Rostamani Group, the importer of Michelin tyres in Dubai and the Northern Emirates.

In partnership with the RTA, Michelin has also organised free tyre safety check-ups for both trucks as well as passenger cars around Dubai. Motorists were provided with professional advice and a report on their tyres’ status. Sample results revealed that around 70% of motorists are driving either on under- or over-inflated tyres, which in turn endangers their lives. Around 10% of the tyres checked had major defects ranging from cracks, uneven tread wear, to fully worn-out treads.

“Our aim is to raise public awareness on the importance of tyre safety, more responsible driving and safer roads”, said Daoud Helmi, commercial director for Michelin in the Gulf countries. “We are happy to partner with RTA on such safety campaigns, to provide people with professional advice and technical support.”