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In
the Queen’s Birthday Honours list last month Margaret Calvert was awarded with an
OBE for services to typography and road safety. The name may not be all that
familiar but drivers will certainly be familiar with Calvert’s work, seeing it
every day without even realising it.
It was the mid-sixties when Margaret Calvert and her colleague Jock Kinneir designed the signage and typeface that would be used across the entire road network in the UK to provide drivers with information, regulations and warnings about the road ahead. Yet Calvert’s iconic pictograms, which include ‘Men At Work’ and ‘Schoolchildren Nearby’, are still in use today and have remained unchanged in 51 years.
But not all road signs are as recognisable as these Calvert classics. Some are a little less obvious and, in our recent research, we found that many drivers couldn’t identify the road signs we showed them, despite many believing they had a good understanding of the meaning of most signs.
We showed our survey respondents a number of UK road signs and asked them to identify their meanings. The least known road sign was for 'End of minimum speed limit' with nearly 8 out of every 10 incorrectly guessing the meaning of the sign and half believing the sign to mean the end of a maximum speed limit zone. Another sign that confused many people was for ‘All Vehicles Prohibited except bicycles being pushed by pedestrians’. Only 25% knew the meaning, perhaps due to the limited information and lack of pictograms that the sign provides.
Our
survey found the public were no better at identifying road markings than they
were the signs with an even greater level of confusion over some of the most
common markings. As many as 9 out of 10 respondents did not know the marking
for 'Hazard Ahead' – surprising considering the important warning the sign is
giving. A further 46% were unaware of the road marking for 'Give Way'.
Not
understanding or being confused by the exact meaning of a road sign or marking could
easily lead to unintended consequences and breaking the Highway Code. In fact,
based on our research, 2 in 5 Brits have made mistakes as a result of
misinterpreting road signs including unintentionally breaking the speed limit
(16%), having to brake suddenly as a warning sign was misinterpreted (15%) and
slowing down as a precaution, causing a build up of traffic (9%).
Road Signs - The Basics
There
are literally hundreds of different road signs each with their own message and meaning,
however, most signs can be classified into one of three categories based on
their shape.
Back to School?
With
so much confusion over road signs, it begs the question: should drivers have to retake their driving test at regular intervals or, at the very
least, resit their theory test? For many, the theory test did not even exist
when they learnt to drive - so their knowledge of UK road signs and the
Highway Code has never really been tested. Two thirds of our survey participants believed that drivers
should retake their driving theory and hazard perception tests regularly with
most citing every 15 years as being the most appropriate interval in order to
refresh the memory and stay safe (not to mention legal!) on the road.
Driving in heavy rain can be tricky and bring extra risks. Check out our guide for top tips to stay safe and avoid breakdowns if travelling in wet conditions.
Is the UK on the verge of ‘the coldest winter for 50 years?’ Even if El Niño doesn't hit the UK this winter, reduce the risk of a winter breakdown by making sure your car battery is winter-ready.
Your tyre size can be found on the sidewall of your current tyre and is a sequence of numbers and letters. The most common tyre size in the UK is 205/55R16 but there are many variations so it’s important to check your existing tyre first before searching for tyres.
Tip: Take a photo of your existing tyre sidewall to make it easier to identify your tyre size using the guide below.
The first three digits. This displays the width of the tyre in millimetres. A tyre marked 225 will measure 225mm across the tread from sidewall to sidewall.
Aspect Ratio
The fourth and fifth digits of the tyre code that immediately follow the tyre width. The aspect ratio or profile height of the tyre sidewall is expressed as a percentage of the tyre width. So an aspect ratio of 55 for example means that the profile height of the tyre is 55% of its width.
Rim Diameter
The next two digits represent the size of the wheel rim that the tyre can be fitted to. It is also the diameter of the tyre from bead to bead. So a tyre marked 16 will fit on a 16-inch wheel rim.
Speed Rating
The speed rating of a tyre is represented by a letter of the alphabet at the end of the tyre size code and indicates the maximum speed capability of the tyre. Tyres receive a speed rating based on a series of tests which measure the tyres capability to handle a set speed for a prolonged period of time.
Select your tyre speed rating to find out the maximum speed your tyres can maintain.
If you are unsure what speed rating you need, be sure to check your vehicle handbook. Choosing a lower speed rating than that recommended by your vehicle manufacturer could potentially invalidate your insurance.
Load Rating
The load index provides information on the maximum weight capability for the tyre. The load index is a numerical code that can be located just after the tyre size marking and before the speed rating.
Select your load index to find out the maximum load capability for your tyres.
Although not illegal, it is not advisable to have tyres with a lower speed rating or load index than the manufacturer recommended tyre specification for your vehicle, or to have a combination of different tyre construction types. Consult your vehicle handbook to confirm your vehicle’s tyre speed rating and load index as well as any additional requirements.
0800 75 76 77 You can reach our customer care team 6 days a week from 9:00am to 6:00pm on Monday and Thursday, 8:30am to 6:00pm Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm Saturday, and 10:00am to 4:00pm on Bank Holidays.
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Select Tyre Size
Front Tyre Size
Rear Tyre Size
We endeavour to ensure we are displaying the correct tyres for your vehicle. However, we recommend all customers check the tyre size printed on the side wall of their tyres before proceeding with a tyre purchase as occasionally discrepancies do occur. By selecting the tyre sizes above and clicking 'Continue', you are indicating that you have checked your tyre sizes.
Please select your front and rear tyre size before clicking 'Continue'.
We have identified the tyre size(s) that may fit your {VEHICLE}. Please select your front tyre size and rear tyre size below before clicking 'Continue'.
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Please note: There is a slope that the vehicle must be driven up to reach the vehicle ramp at this centre. This may prevent us from being able to work on some high-performance vehicles, Tesla vehicles or vehicles that have been lowered. If your vehicle has low ground clearance, please contact the centre team on 01342 314 111 before booking.
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Centres do not open until 10:00 on bank holidays. If choosing an earlier appointment time on a bank holiday, please bring your vehicle to centre at 10:00 rather than the time shown.
