The Road Accident Fund (RAF) in partnership with the South African Tyre Manufacturers Conference (SATMC) has launched a tyre safety workshop to educate law enforcement officials around the country on the signs of unlawful tyres that pose a threat to road safety.
This includes how to identify safe tyres (including tyre construction, markings, fitment, tread depth standards, and more), how to maintain tyres properly, and the dangers of illegal and unsafe second-hand tyres.
Last week, the organisation facilitated its first two-day workshop and educational roadblock in Jozini, KwaZulu-Natal, seeing over 180 officers being upskilled in this critical field of tyre knowledge, with 11 more sessions to follow in major transport hubs like the Western Cape and Gauteng until March 2024.
“South Africa has seen an influx of poor-quality, non-regulated tyres, and dangerous second-hand tyres, contributing to road accidents and safety concerns. A study conducted by the SATMC found that 63% of second-hand tyres sold on the roadside were, in fact, illegal waste tyres,” said Nduduzo Chala, SATMC Managing Executive.
“This partnership with the RAF aims to counter these challenges by equipping traffic officers with the necessary knowledge to identify unsafe tyres and enforce regulations effectively, while providing motorists with useful information to uphold tyre safety themselves.”
SATMC Tyre Safety Workshop
Tyres play a crucial role in road safety
Data from the Road Traffic Management Corporation’s 2021 State of Road Safety Report shows that 41% of crashes in South Africa between January and December 2021 occurred due to a tyre burst prior to the crash, while a further 15% of crashes were due to smooth tyres.
South Africa’s rubber producers have also sounded the alarm on an epidemic of non-roadworthy tyres that are currently in use on the country’s roads and common culprits in car accidents. Their estimations show that of the roughly 1.5 to 2 million used tyres in South Africa, approximately 63% are unroadworthy.
“Being the sole point of contact between a vehicle and the road, tyres play a crucial role in vehicle performance, handling, and safety on the roads,” said Chala.
“As the SATMC and RAF, we know that equipping law enforcement and road users with the knowledge of proper tyre safety is an essential step in our ongoing battle against road accidents in South Africa.”
Keyword: Illegal tyres the new target for traffic officers in South Africa