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Freeman Razemba
Senior Reporter
A local company, Protectall Zimbabwe has introduced a new road safety device in the country which supports a vehicle tyre in case of a tyre burst and deflating during driving thereby preventing the tyre from slipping off the wheel rim and help minimise fatal road accidents.
The device is known as the Protectall tyre band which ensures that following a tyre burst, the rubber does not slip off the wheel rim and thus there is no contact with the surface which would result in the vehicle overturning.
This device can be fitted on public service vehicles, buses, haulage trucks and private vehicles.
Government and the Standard Association of Zimbabwe have since approved this new device.
This development comes after the company’s managing director Mr Edward Daniels recently wrote a letter to the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development requesting it to recommend and consider the use of the tyre band in Zimbabwe to reduce road carnage.
The Standards Association of Zimbabwe also undertook an Inspection on the manufacture of Protectall tyre bands in South Africa where the product is manufactured under a credible management system which is certified by the South African Bureau of Standards(SABS).
Recently, Transport and Infrastructural Development permanent secretary Engineer Thedius Chinyanga responded saying government had no objection for motorists to fit the gadget on their wheels.
“I acknowledge receipt of your letter dated April 3, 2023 regarding Protectall Safety Tyre Band gadget. Your endeavour to reduce traffic accidents and improve safety on our roads is highly appreciated. The gadget was approved by the Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) in 2011 for use in Zimbabwe.
“The Ministry of Transport and Infrastructural Development has no objection for motorist to fit the gadget on their wheels. You are therefore free to market the gadget for fitment on vehicles belonging to government departments, parastatals, transport sector and the public in general,” he said.
In an interview yesterday, Protectall Zimbabwe managing director Mr Daniels said the bands are fitted to the well of the wheel rim to lock the tyre in place in the event of a blow-out, puncture or under inflation.
“These tyre bands are produced using state-of-art technology to complement the safety aspects of modern motor vehicles. In order to ensure that Protectall Safety Tyre Bands meet the world class safety standards.
“Protectall Safety Tyre Bands are durable, aluminium bands fitted to the well of the wheel rim to lock the tyre in place in the event of a blow-out, puncture or under inflation. Vehicles fitted with Protectall Safety Tyre Bands can travel for up to 25 kilometres at a safe speed after a puncture or blow-out, allowing them to reach a place of safety before having to change the deflated tyre.
“When a tyre loses air pressure, and the bead of the tyre dislodges, the tyre usually drops into the well of the wheel rim. Once this happens the tyre dislodges from the rim. The metal of the rim gets into direct contact with the road surface. When this happens, the driver losses control of the vehicle which then swerves and becomes hazardous to the other road users,” he said.
He said Protectall Zimbabwe was formed to bring this life saving, mitigatory innovation to the country and beyond.
“We have been appointed as distributor in Zimbabwe with potential to SADC regional distributor. The news snippets above created a burden to reduce and eliminate road carnage due to tyre bursts and blow outs. We hope and pray that this noble venture gets the necessary legislative support to cover all vehicles as they are all vulnerable in the unfortunate event of a tyre burst. Let us tame the traffic jungle together and save lives,” Mr Daniels said.
This development comes after several people have been killed while others were injured in road accidents mainly as a result of tyre bursts and speeding.
Online Reporter