Drivers risk £10,000 fines when driving to visit family for Easter
According to experts, millions of UK motorists drive vehicles with inadequate tyres meaning that they all risk receiving a £2,500 penalty per wheel.
Some 17 million journeys are predicted to be undertaken by drivers during the Easter weekend. And the last thing motorists need when visiting their families is an unnecessary fine that could have been avoided. With that in mind, experts at TrackDays are warning drivers to make sure they have adequate tyres.
Having decent tyre tread is not only a legal requirement but is also vital for safety. Some rain and showers are predicted over the weekend, meaning that motorists will have to be even more vigilant.
On top of that, if a tyre is worn out, it could lead to a vehicle aquaplaning and potentially to an accident.
Statistics show that one-quarter of all collisions where a vehicle defect has been reported involved illegal, defective or underinflated tyres.
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This means that there could be 9.8 million motorists who are potentially at risk of huge fines ahead of the Easter weekend.
Dan Jones operations manager at TrackDays, warned that with the unpredictable April weather and poor road conditions, motorists should pay extra attention to their tyres before making any journeys.
He added that drivers who are found to have illegal tyres could face a £10,000 fine and points on their licence.
In the worst case scenario, motorists could even lose their driving licence.
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Mr Jones said: "Drivers shouldn't take for granted that as we start to move into spring, we should take our eyes off the state of our tyres.
"In the same report published by the DfT, 22 percent of collisions were on wet or damp roads, and we all know that April showers can come when least expected."
The expert also provided some tips for drivers when it comes to checking tyres.
One of these includes using a 20p coin to check tyre depth.
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Mr Jones advised: "When looking at your tyres, there is first of all the 20p trick.
"If you pop a 20p coin into your tyres' tread and cannot see the outer band of the coin then your tyre depth is roadworthy."
The expert added: "Check for cuts, bulges and tears because if they're over 25 millimetres long or cover 10 percent of the tyre's section width, then they're also deemed to be unsafe."
Mr Jones continued: "Also ensure that the PSI of your tyres is at the correct levels, most cars have this information on the inside of the driver's door.
"The PSI can be checked at an air pressure machine which is available at most petrol stations."
Having vehicles in good condition is extremely important during April due to unpredictable weather conditions.
Add to that traffic chaos caused by Easter getaways and there is a potential recipe for disaster.
Before embarking on any long journeys, experts advise drivers to get plenty of rest beforehand and take breaks on the road when tiredness hits.