As part of their joint Treads on Track road safety initiative launched last year, the Road Accident Fund (RAF), in partnership with the South African Tyre Manufacturers Conference (SATMC), hosted a tyre safety awareness workshop for traffic and road safety officers in Polokwane on Thursday, 08 February 2024. During the session, the RAF and SATMC enhanced the knowledge of traffic and road safety officers through practical demonstrations aimed at improving tyre safety amongst motorists. The tyre safety awareness workshop was followed by a roadblock on Friday, 09 February 2024, during which the traffic officers applied what they had learned from the workshop.

RAF Senior Manager for Road Safety, Siphamandla Gumbi, said: “The objective of the Tyre Safety workshop was to upskill law enforcement and road safety officers on various aspects of tyre safety. We have partnered with experts in tyre usage in order to continue the fight against road crash injuries and fatalities. The law enforcement officials, in turn, educated motorists during roadblocks thereby increasing awareness and shifting the mindsets of all road users”.

The two-day training session covered topics such as the importance of tyre safety, 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.

Nduduzo Chala, SATMC Managing Executive, said, “The SATMC and RAF are making a concerted effort to ensure that all traffic officers are trained correctly to enforce tyre regulations and ensure that we address the scourge of unsafe tyres and their impact on road safety in South Africa.”