Illegal tyre convictions at four year high
A growing number of motorists are paying the price for treading the legal line when it comes to the safety of their tyres.
New figures from Ministry of Justice and the Home Office reveal that convictions for driving on unsafe tyres are at a four year high.
In 2010, nearly 10,500 motorists found out first hand how the courts felt about defective tyres, as the number of successful conviction rose by almost 1,000 on the previous year.
Stuart Jackson, Chairman of TyreSafe – the not-for-profit organisation which obtained the data, said while these findings were enough reason to be concerned, they omitted instances where police had dealt with tyre-related issues at the side of the road.
“These latest figures are very worrying indeed and show that the courts take a very dim view of people driving on defective tyres,” commented Stuart who understood why people were riding their luck.
“We are aware that with recent financial pressures, many motorists are delaying the purchase of new tyres.
“However, as these latest figures show, some are waiting far too long and are risking their own safety and that of other roads users by going beyond the legal minimum standards.
“It’s also shows that the authorities are taking a robust stance against motorists prepared to flout the law, which goes to show that if you drive on illegal tyres, then be prepared to pay the price.”
Motorists who are discovered with less than 1.6mm of tyre tread depth could be hit with a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty points for each illegal tyre.
To mark Tyre Safety Month throughout October, a number of garages and tyre retailers are carrying out free tyre safety inspections. For more on Tyre Safety Month, visit www.tyresafe.org.
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