Illegal Tyre Convictions Reach a Four year high
Court convictions in England and Wales for driving on defective car tyres are at a four year high, according to figures obtained by from the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office. In 2010, over 10,000 motorists were successfully convicted, almost 1,000 more than the previous year. The figures highlight the scale of the problem of illegal UK tyres. These figures do not take into account tyre related matters dealt with by the police at the roadside.
Obviously the current financial climate can leave people short of money, but even cheap tyres are better than illegal tyres. No one wants the £2,500 fine and the courts take a very dim view of illegal tyres.
Current UK tyre law requires car drivers to have a minimum of 1.6mm tread depth across the central three quarters of the tyre, around its entire circumference. Drivers who fail to comply with the regulations could face a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty points for each illegal tyre.
Splits, cuts or cracks in the side wall could also cause problems of a different and potentially more serious nature. Blowouts can be caused by these issues, or even by driving on under-inflated tyres. So the simple advice is to make sure you check your tyres regularly.