Thousands of dodgy tyres on the road as dealers fail to warn drivers after services
As many as 20,000 "faulty" tyres are thought to have been on British roads this winter. And they aren't even safe enough for dry roads, let alone icy motorways
CAR dealers are failing to notify drivers of faulty tyres following regular servicing checks.
A disturbing report revealed the average UK dealer failed to replace 71 per cent of tyres identified as "severely worn" in November last year.
The figures revealed there could be a potential 20,000 cars on icy British roads that do not have tyres suitable for dry conditions, let alone the hazards posed in winter.
The average dealership sold new tyres on just 29 per cent of the occasions where either severely worn or faulty tyres were identified, according to the study by vehicle health check provider autoVHC.
Data from 400 UK dealers showed sales rates for replacement tyres were dangerously low in the lead up to winter.
During the month of November, 29,000 tyres were classified as "red", meaning they showed serious defects.
But despite icy and snowy conditions, sales records showed less than 9,000 new tyres were purchased.
According to autoVHC, dealerships could face legal action should they fail to warn drivers they need to replace the tyres - and the car is then involved in a crash.
Failing to inform motorists of poor tyre condition and when to buy replacements could see dealerships charged with failing in their duty of care.
What is the legal tyre tread depth and how can I check it?
The minimum legal tyre tread depth for cars in the UK and Europe is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre and it must meet this requirement across its complete circumference.
The 20p test is a simple, quick and easy way of checking the tyre tread of your car’s wheels.
Take a 20p coin and insert it into the tread grooves on the tyre. If you can’t see the outer band on the coin, your tyres are above the legal limit.
If you can see the band and that section of the coin is still visible, your tyres could be unsafe and require professional inspection.
All tyres also have tyre tread wear indicators. If the tyre is flush with these, it is below the legal limit and needs replacing.
The best way to check is with a tyre tread depth gauge which quickly measure the depth of an individual tyre groove.
If you’re found with dangerous, illegal tyres you can be fined up to £2,500 and handed three points.
This is per tyre so if you’ve got a full set, it’s a £10,000 fine and 12 penalty points (equal to a driving ban).
Any insurance claim as a result of an accident could be invalidated, too, if you were found to be driving on tyres below the legal limit.
Chris Saunders, Business Unit Director at autoVHC, said: “When it comes to the sale of new tyres that are being sold to replace severely worn tyres, conversion rates have always been a concern.
“In July last year our data showed that Red tyres were being replaced on only 34 per cent of occasions.
"It’s therefore extremely concerning to see this drop to 29 per cent in November, with the onset of winter and more challenging driving conditions.
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“As well as missing out on obvious revenue opportunities, aftersales departments are risking exposure to potential repercussions if a motorist involved in an accident was later able to argue they had not been sufficiently notified of the danger driving on their tyres posed.
“Aftersales managers need to ensure their staff are well trained when it comes to advising customers on the risks associated with driving on worn tyres, particularly during the challenging winter period.
“As a very minimum, dealerships should be asking customers who decide to decline a replacement sale to at least acknowledge that they been warned of the dangers of driving on severely worn tyres.”