The sale of dangerous tyres to unsuspecting motorists has led to the conviction of six retailers of part worn tyres from the Brent and Harrow area of London within the space of a week.
Tyres are a primary safety feature on a vehicle, significantly affecting braking and steering performance – fitting sub-standard tyres endangers lives. TyreSafe is committed to supporting investigations which can lead to the prosecution and conviction of unscrupulous dealers.
The standards required for part worn tyres to be deemed fit for purpose is clearly laid out in the governing regulations – there’s no excuse for selling dangerous examples. It’s clear that far too many part worn retailers are not adhering to those legally-binding criteria, in some cases wilfully, and they must accept this endangers lives and gives the whole industry a bad reputation.
Just How Many Tyres Are Sold Illegally?
The sale of dangerous tyres to unsuspecting motorists has led to the conviction of six retailers of part worn tyres from the Brent and Harrow area of London within the space of a week.
Top Tyres & Auto Parts Ltd (Wembley); Whitchurch Road Tyres (Harrow); Pinner Road Tyres Ltd (Harrow); Quick Car Repairs Ltd (Harrow); Mr Walazedeh trading as Harrow Tyres (Harrow); and 3D Tyres Ltd (Wembley) faced 36 charges of supplying unsafe tyres, not complying with the Motor Vehicle Tyres (Safety) Regulations 1994. All six pleaded guilty and were ordered to pay a total of £18,009.40 in fines, including individual penalties for company directors, costs and victim surcharges.
The risk to road users, including pedestrians and cyclists, posed by the offenders’ sale of dangerous and incorrectly labelled tyres was roundly condemned by Brent and Harrow Trading Standards, TyreSafe and the National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA) whose cooperation led to the successful convictions.
What Stops A Tyre From Being Legal To Drive On?
The sale of part worn tyres is subject to the Motor Vehicle Tyres (Safety) Regulations 1994 (reg.7.), which is part of the Consumer Protection Act. The legal minimum for tyre tread depth in the UK is 1.6mm, but to be legal to sell part-worn tyres must have at least 2mm – just 0.4mm more than the legal limit.
The tyres should not have cuts, lumps or any other damages that will compromise its structural integrity, have passed an inflation test and be marked with the part worn stamp. Motorists are reminded to check that the tyre being offered to them meets these requirements before purchasing and to consider purchasing a new tyre which has none of the potential issues of a used example.
How Many People Are Prosecuted For Illegal Tyres?
Many drivers have the misconception that the police are too busy or too stretched to stop and prosecute them for driving on illegal tyres. Prosecution figures show this is clearly not the case and that the court system still considers driving on illegal tyres a very serious offence.
Current UK law requires car drivers to have at least 1.6mm of tread depth on their tyres. Anyone found to be in breach of these regulations risks not only their safety on the road but also a fine of £2,500 and three penalty points for each illegal tyre.
Why You Should Regularly Check Your Tyres
TyreSafe fully supports the police’s efforts in clamping down on this dangerous behaviour and would encourage all drivers to take a few minutes every month to check their tyre’s tread depth, pressure and general condition.
Regular checks which only take a few minutes to complete should be made at least once a month, yet it’s clear from these latest figures that many drivers are simply not taking these precautions, risking not only prosecution through the courts but more importantly, their safety on the road.
Drivers are responsible for their tyres, and to ensure optimum safety and minimum risk, we recommend performing three basic checks once a month and before long journeys.
Not only could this save you hefty fines and penalty points, but could potentially save you from potential disaster on the roads.
Of course, any driver unsure of how to carry out any of these checks can call into one of the thousands of tyre dealers and garages offering free tyre safety checks as part of October’s tyre safety month. The details and location of participating outlets can be found by visiting the dealer locator.
