The Appalling Truth About Part-Worn Tyres
There are around six million units of part-worn tyres, not meeting basic safety standards, currently in use on UK roads. This revelation comes from a new research carried out by the leading insurance firm, LV=Liverpool Victoria.
The study report says that UK motorists have bought over 23mn part-worn tyres since 2009. And 25% of those are illegal; meaning about 1.5million UK car drivers ended up buying sub-standard rubber and are using the same.
The law in UK necessitates stringent checking of all part-worn tyres for their adherence with legal requirements. The law also states that these tyres must be subsequently stamped to indicate the same.. Appallingly, only 51% of motorists in UK were aware of the existence of these regulations at the time of buying used tyres.
The report further states that over 0.5million motorists have admitted to skidding at some instance or the other while driving on part-worn tyres. Moreover, 512,000 of those surveyed reported distinctly longer braking distances.
Why Do Motorists Buy Part-Worn Tyres?
The major reason why most motorists opt for part worn tyres is the cost factor. A part-worn tyre set, on an average, costs well under £150. Hence, purchasing second-hand tyres can amount to huge savings for motorists.
The tough financial scenario and ever-rising cost of driving implies that the market for part-worn tyres is booming and will continue to boom at least for a long time to come. However, some tyre dealers are knowingly selling unlawful tyres unethically. Trading Standards Institute has informed us that the number of such dealers under investigation has doubled since the year 2009.
The Right Way of Buying Part-Worn Tyres
The first and the most important bit – regular tyre checks is the key to tyre safety.
Check your tyres at regular intervals. Some tyre imperfections can be easily spotted with visual inspection. However, it disappoints us to say that 78% of motorists perform tyre checks less than 12 times annually. And every 1 out of 20 carries it out when its time for their annual MOT, says research.
Driving your vehicle on defective tyres is illegal and is a punishable offence. Recent police data has revealed that there has been a rise of 9% since 2009 in the number of drivers being reprimanded for defective tyres.
John O’ Roarke, MD, LV= car insurance, said that motorists are justified in cutting costs while buying tyres, considering the current financial condition. However, buying quality part-worn tyres is an effective way to achieve the same.
Motorists looking to buying part-worn tyres must seek reputable dealers associated with British Standards Institution. This simple step towards tyre safety awareness will ensure that all part-worn tyres purchased meet the minimum legal requirements.