Firefighters issue safety warning to maintain your car!

Firefighters in Stratford are warning drivers to take more care over the maintenance of their vehicles after seeing an increase in calls to attend accidental vehicle fires.

From October 2010 to December 2010, fire crews across the county were called to 60 accidental vehicle fires, a number of which were caused by a faulty fuel supply or an overheated engine.  Whilst a number of these incidents can be attributed to people visiting or travelling through the county, residents still need to be aware of the dangers they face if their vehicle is not regularly maintained.

Area Risk Officer, Jon Dixon said: "We are concerned to see an increase in accidental vehicle fires now the colder weather is here. I think that drivers should be aware of the dangers faults in their vehicles can cause.  Simple checks such as making sure you have enough oil in the car before travelling long journeys or making sure that the vehicle is serviced regularly can really make a difference to your safety. "

Portfolio Holder for Community Protection, Richard Hobbs
said: "The safety of residents or people visiting and travelling through the county is paramount to us. By highlighting the issue of accidental vehicle fires, we hope to make people more aware of the dangers they face if vehicles are not properly checked before travelling on long journeys."

Below are just a few ways you can stay safer:

• Ensure that the tyre pressure on your vehicle is checked regularly.
• Do not smoke or use a mobile phone while driving.
• Ensure you vehicle has an annual MOT and Service Check water/coolant (anti freeze in cold weather) and oil levels to prevent over-heating and engine failure.

For further information on fire safety please log onto www.warwickshire.gov.uk/fireandrescue