eBay survey reveals shocking UK ignorance to tyre labels
3
min. read
A recent eBay commissioned research initiative confirms that over 60 per cent of UK drivers are not aware of the purpose of having EU tyre labels despite being mandatory for over ten years now. It is also believed that a lower but equally significant percentage of European drivers are equally ignorant of this important tyre legislation.
The report also revealed that almost half 0f the 2000 (Equating to 47 per cent) of drivers surveyed had no understanding whatsoever of tyre labels and why they were on tyres being purchased.
At the same time 61 per cent of these motorists admitted they do not check or even acknowledge tyre labels when buying new tyres with two thirds incorrectly identifying the meaning of the symbols on the labels. With the symbol for icy conditions being the most misunderstood with a staggering 92 per cent answering incorrectly. It is also interesting to note that 74 per cent of UK drivers always rely on garage staff recommendations rather than doing their own online research.
This alarming lack of knowledge contributes towards real world safety issues with the UK Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) figures revealing that over two million MOT failures in 2023-2024 were directly due to tyre defects. The EU tyre label is designed to give consumers objective information on the safety and environmental performance of new tyres and rates tyres based on three main criteria:
Fuel efficiency (Rolling Resistance), measured in grades A to E, indicating how a tyre's rolling resistance affects a vehicle's fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. With an improved rating leading to significant fuel savings.
Wet grip: which is also rated from A to E, and is a critical safety feature that measures a tyre's braking distance on wet roads. The difference in wet braking distance between the highest and lowest grades can be more than 18 metres.
External rolling noise which is graded from A to C and measures the exterior noise level of the tyre, which contributes to overall road traffic noise. The current version of the tyre label, in effect since May 2021, also includes icons for severe snow conditions and ice grip where applicable, and a QR code that links to an EU product database for more information.
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