Tyre Safety – Basic Checks

Posted on by Alison Ashworth

October is National Tyre Safety month and as specialists in Motoring Law, we want to raise awareness of the vitally important checks that should be performed on a vehicle’s tyres to ensure they’re safe and legal. Basic Tyre checks: Tyre tread - The legal tread depth is 1.6mm. This can be checked by inserting a 20p into the tyre’s tread groove. If you can see the rim of the coin at any point around the circumference, then the tyre may be illegal. Tyre pressure – The recommended tyre pressure for your vehicle can be found on the inside of your car door, petrol cap or owner’s manual. Tyres can be inflated to the correct pressure at most petrol stations. Tyre condition – You should regularly check for any lumps, bumps or cuts in the tyre. If you are unsure about the condition of your tyre you should seek advice from your local tyre specialist. Being caught with defective tyres would result in a £2500 fine and three penalty points per tyre. Driving on defective tyres also significantly increases your risk of being involved in an accident. Many local retailers are offering free tyre health check throughout the month of October. To find your local dealer

Solicitors firm warns drivers to check their tyres or face prosecution

Posted on by Alison Ashworth

National Law Firm, Ashworth Motoring Law is running a campaign to raise awareness of tyre safety and highlight the dangers of driving on defective tyres. The campaign backs national tyre safety month which runs throughout October. Ashworth Motoring Law, which specialises in representing drivers who are facing the possible loss of their driving licence is reminding drivers to check their tyres or face prosecution or an accident. The campaign follows figures released by TyreSafe which show that over one in four cars and vans are driven on Britain’s roads with illegal and dangerous tyres. According to the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, 2.2 million cars fail the MoT due to tyre-related defects, and figures from the highways agency indicate that an annual average of 1135 casualties are caused by tyre-related incidents with 198 of those incidents resulting in serious injury or death.