Driving over potholes can alter the vehicle's steering and suspension geometries or damage critical components which can reduce vehicle safety or generate extra running costs. By ensuring wheels are correctly aligned, drivers can minimise the effects of any pothole damage and ensure they remain as safe as possible.

"The recent bad weather will inevitably increase the number of potholes we see on our roads which can cause a number of serious safety issues for drivers," explains Stuart Jackson, chairman, TyreSafe. "If a car's wheels are not correctly aligned it may pull to one side or cause vibrations in the steering wheel which can be distracting and make the vehicle difficult to control. By visiting your local garage or tyre dealer they will be able to perform some simple checks to make sure the wheels are correctly aligned, helping you to stay safe."

According to the AA, last February's heavy snow increased insurance claims for pothole damage by more than 250 percent. With the current prolonged spell of snow and freezing conditions, road damage is expected to be even worse this year.

As well as the safety benefits offered by correct wheel alignment, motorists can also reduce their running costs. When a vehicle's wheels are properly aligned, it is less likely to suffer from premature tyre wear as the tyres point in the correct direction, reducing any ‘scrubbing' action on the road surface. This also helps to reduce the rolling resistance of the tyres meaning that fuel costs are also reduced.

"When a driver has their wheel alignment checked, the garage will also be able to give the tyres a proper inspection to ensure they have not suffered any damage from the pothole," continues Jackson. "Cuts or bulges in a tyre mean that it is likely to have suffered some serious internal damage making it unsafe and illegal. The garage will also be able to check that the tyres have adequate tread depth and the correct pressure, both essential for safe driving."

For further information about tyre safety visit www.tyresafe.org

Kumho's laser etching technology was lauded at the recent (February 10) Tire Technology International Awards for Innovation and Excellence 2010. The milestone process won the award for 'Tire Manufacturing and Design Innovation of the Year'. It was one of five prestigious prizes presented at a gala dinner on the second night of the three day Tire Technology Expo at the Cologne Messe. The Expo is Europe's leading international tyre design and exhibition and conference that, like the dinner, is organized by UKIP Media & Events Ltd.

Kumho's laser etching system was launched at last Autumn's Frankfurt motor show and embodies technology that is set to transform the way the company designs its tread patterns. The award was collected by Roger Jenkins, managing director of Kumho's Birmingham-based European Technical Centre (KETC), who said, "We are delighted to have been selected for this accolade - it means a great deal to us that such a prestigious panel of judges has recognized the pioneering nature of our work. It is a milestone for Kumho and falls on the 50th anniversary of the company's inauguration.

"Of course it represents the work of many people, in particular the engineers at KETC and our R&D operation in Korea, who are always open-minded about our ambitions. Thanks too to for the patience and expertise of our development partners in the UK."

The influential 17-strong judging panel comprised: Manfred Haider, Arsenal Research; Victor Underburg, Audi; Marco Pesce, Centro Ricerche Fiat; Oliver Scholz, Fraunhofer Institut; Dr John Bullas, Atkins Highways and Transportation; Damian Harty, Prodrive; Guy Edington, Standard Testing Laboratories; Oluremi Olatunbosun, University of Birmingham; Gaetano 'Guy' Mannino, Verdek; Walter Reithmaier, TUV SUD; Roger Williams, consultant; Joe Walter, University of Akron College of Engineering; Ulf Sandberg, Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI); Adam Gavine, Tire Technology International; Sean Kane, Safety Research & Strategies; Paul Haney, InfoTyre and Dr Ali Ansarifar, Loughborough University.

This is the second major prize Kumho has received for its laser etching process, the first being an iF Product Design Award.

Kumho has won an iF Product Design Award for the innovative laser etching technology it launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. A total of 2486 entries were submitted by 1061 companies from 39 nations for the contest, from which Kumho was declared victorious in the Advanced Studies category.

Introduced in 1954, the German iF accolade is considered to be one of only four design awards of world renown. The criteria for selection comprise: design, technology, degree of innovation and brand value potential. The award process, which is recognised for its rigorous and fair judgement, is conducted by experts from around the world, including some famous designers.

The laser etched tyre shown at Frankfurt, which incorporated the company's logo, embodies technology that is set to transform the way Kumho designs its tread patterns. It was this concept tyre, together with a typical application of Kumho's products of the future, that the company entered for the award.

Said Roger Jenkins, managing director of Kumho's Birmingham-based European Technical Centre, "Consumers take into account the design of a tyre as well as its performance when making a purchase. Kumho was one of the first companies to recognise this and continually invests in the development of both aspects. It is therefore all the more rewarding to have our work recognised with such a prestigious award."

There are many facets to the award, including a six month display of the winning entries at the Hanover Exhibition Centre, which will be visited by 250,000 people from March 2 onwards, and an online exhibition on the iF website for an indefinite period from March.

Kumho takes its increasing role in the European motor industry very seriously, as demonstrated by its prominent position in a major hall of the recent Frankfurt Motor Show.

The stand's exhibits comprised a broad selection of the company's products, from preview examples of the ultra high performance ECSTA LE Sport KU39 and eco-friendly Ecowing KH19 road tyres being introduced in 2010 to the highly successful Road Venture KL71 (extreme mud terrain) and S700 (Formula 3) competition tyres. A powerful draw was the Farbio GTS350 sports car, which was making its first public showing in Germany courtesy of Kumho, while of high technical interest was an example of Kumho's new laser-etching process that is set to revolutionise the way the company designs its tread patterns.

Said Roger Jenkins, managing director of Kumho's Birmingham-based European Technical Centre: "Mass production tread patterns can be a compromise - part functional and part aesthetic. In the future, Kumho plans to design its treads in two stages. The functional requirement, free of compromise, will be moulded in the normal way. Any additional attributes or design features will then be etched onto the surface as required.

"The new laser technology will allow us far more freedom at the design stage and the ability to experiment with any number of patterns and surface finishes. In the future, the process could also provide production tyres with a variety of short-term gains - such as special surfaces for use in motorsport or driving on low friction surfaces etc."

The Frankfurt Motor Show was a major success for Kumho. The company's new products enjoyed a very successful debut, the stand received an excellent throughput of trade and consumer visitors throughout the duration of the exhibition and a high number of serious enquiries were processed.

By guiding his Kumho-shod Skoda Fabia WRC to a finely judged second place on the recent (October 3/4) Cork 20 International Rally, Irish rally ace Eugene Donnelly has clinched his fifth Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. His five titles match the record set by the legendary Austin MacHale, while his tally of 19 individual rally victories is just one less than the late Bertie Fisher's all time total. Last but not least, Donnelly's victory in this year's series marks the first major international championship success for the Skoda Fabia WRC.

Donnelly entered the event - the last in the 2009 series - with a solid 18-point lead. The championship was therefore his to lose and he admits to making a nervous start. However he remarked, "I must say I enjoyed the first day that comprised three stages run three times. We got the choice of Kumhos right and the car was working very well. The format reminded me of the old Irish national rallies, and by bedtime on Saturday we were a lot more settled. The last three stages of the rally were torture though. I was never so paranoid about what could go wrong, but in the end everything held together - I could hardly believe it."

Ironically the Cork event was won by the Ford Focus WRC of Gareth MacHale (one of the two rallying sons of Austin MacHale), which finished just over a minute ahead of the Donnelly Skoda.

Said Kumho's European Motorsport Manager Steve Thompson, "We were delighted when Eugene rejoined the Kumho fold this year and even more so when he started winning straight out of the box. He and faithful co-driver Paddy Toner thoroughly deserve their success, which we are proud to have contributed to. With memorable results in rallying, rallycross and Formula 3, 2009 has been our most successful European motorsport season to date."

Seasoned campaigner Pat Doran is the 2009 Kumho Tyres MSA British Rallycross champion, having placed the title beyond the reach of his rivals before the final round at Mallory Park on October 18.

Doran was imperious at last month's (September) meeting at Pembrey, winning rounds six and seven in style, despite the best efforts of his nearest title rival Steve Hill, who finished second in the first event and third in the next one.

A Waste Recycling Consultant from Thorverton, Devon, Doran switched from rallying to rallycross in the early '90s with immediate success, but retired to develop his business after finishing fourth in the '93 European championship. However, he returned with a bang in 2001, finishing runner-up in the British championship at the wheel of a Ford RS200. He then won the series outright in 2002, was runner-up in 2003 and victorious once more in 2005 and now 2009.

These days he drives a Ford Fiesta Supercar powered by a 540bhp 2.0-litre Cosworth YB engine. The car was built, developed and is maintained by Autopoint Engineering of East Sussex - as is the similar machine of his son Liam, who finished fifth in the series.

Said Kumho's Motorsport Manager Steve Thompson, "Our warmest congratulations to Pat, who has enjoyed another splendid season en route to clinching his third British championship. We were also once again delighted with the performance of the Kumho control tyre which is used by all competitors in the series."