HUNDREDS of cars leaving Nicosia this morning will be stopped to see if they are fitted with the correct, properly maintained tyres.
The Grand Pit Stop campaigners, among them the traffic police, will be checking cars on the Nicosia-Limassol highway between 8am and 1pm, and drivers can stop at the Latsia weighing station to be given maintenance advice and get tyres inflated if necessary.
Properly maintained tyres use less fuel, wear out more slowly and are safer.
Most accidents can be prevented if cars are fitted with the right tyres, kept at the right pressure, the head of a road safety organisation has said.
But over half of all car tyres recently checked across Cyprus were under-inflated, said the head of REACTION, Youth for the Prevention, Marios Stavrou said.
“We started a campaign and discovered that a lot of car tyres had problems, most did not have enough pressure,” he said.
About 600 cars were checked across Cyprus’ five districts between November 1 and 20 and about 55 per cent had under-inflated tyres, he added.
The campaign was carried out with Michelin Tyres who have provided checkers, and the police’s traffic department. Today the Grand Pit Stop campaign hopes to stop double the number they did earlier in the month.
All under-inflated tyres will get pumped up on the spot today.
“We wanted to move beyond words, and act,” Stavrou said.
Drivers should check their tyres before any journey, but since most won’t, REACTION advises checking tyres - for air pressure and wear and tear - once a month and before long journeys.
Buyers of used cars should check to see whether the tyres are those specified by the manufacturer to avoid damaging the car.
A statistical analysis of the campaign results is due end of November, Stavrou said.
Over half the tyres recently checked were under-inflated