There has never been a better time to check the condition of your car and van tyres, as mandatory MOT testing for cars and vans is set to be reintroduced on 1st August.
According to figures from the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), only 22 per cent of the normal number of MOTs were carried out between 16 March and 13 April 2020. Around 7 million vehicles that take the annual MOT test fail it, meaning there could be hundreds of thousands of potentially dangerous cars on the road. Defective tyres are a major contributor to MOT fails, so there has never been a better time to ensure your tyres are in good and roadworthy condition.
Checking Your Own Tyres
Checking your own tyres’ tread depth is simple. Tread depth gauges are inexpensive and readily available online, or from any motor retailer. Then you just check how deep the grooves are across the treaded area of the tyre. Also remember, the legal minimum tread depth is 1.6mm; that’s the same as the rim around a 20p piece. People who drive with tyres below the legal limit could face three penalty points and a £2,500 fine.
Road safety charity “Brake” recommends you change your tyres well before tread gets to the legal minimum of 1.6mm and instead recommends your tyres should be changed when the tread reaches 3mm, as tyres can be dangerous in wet conditions with less than this amount of tread.
Lumps, Cuts & Cracks
While you are checking your tread depth you should also check the tyre sides for lumps, cuts and cracks. If you can, and it is safe to do so, use a torch to check the side of the tyres facing into the vehicle.
Free Car & Van Tyre Check at Chorley Tyres
A recent report by the road safety charity Brake and breakdown provider Green Flag, based on a survey of more than 2,000 UK drivers, revealed that more than 14 million license holders are checking the safety of their vehicle just once a year or less, including a shocking one in ten of all UK drivers who admit that they never perform vehicle safety checks at all.
So with this in mind, Chorley tyres are always happy to perform a free tyre check, to make sure you are both safe and legal on the road.
Book Your Free Car & Van Tyre Check Today
To book your free car and van tyre check, call Chorley Tyres on 01257 264 747. Or why not call in to see us – we are located at Brown Street, Chorley PR6 0BA.