TYRE SAFETY
The Independent Garage Association (IGA) is urging the Government to remove the six-month MOT extension with immediate effect, following the Prime Minister’s announcement that further social distancing measures will be relaxed from 4 July.
Following the news that the DVSA will restart heavy vehicle testing from 4 July 2020, Tyres & Accessories understands that the government Department for Transport (DfT) is consulting on ending the rolling MOT extension initiated at the start of lockdown in March 2020. While DVSA published a statement on 19 June 2020 relating to restarting HGV tests, DfT has not yet answered T&A’s car MOT-related questions on the subject.
However, when we approached the National Tyre Distributors Association for a tyre industry perspective on the reports, the NTDA gave is full support to proposals to end the current temporary car MOT extension currently being given to the expiry dates of MOT tests as they become due. Specifically, the NTDA called for government to “restart with immediate effect” the normal MOT process.
Michelin has issued special guidance for haulage companies and own-account operators parking fleets for extended periods during the COVID-19 pandemic. This follows a survey by the Road Haulage Association which revealed 46 per cent of the UK’s trucks – around 240,000 vehicles – are now parked up with no work.
The UK Government exemption on MOTs for six months from 30 March 2020, may have come as welcome news to many motorists, but the NTDA has also raised serious concerns about its impact on future vehicle roadworthiness. The fact that the emphasis has been placed on motorists to ensure their vehicles are kept in a roadworthy condition, further raises concerns. In short, the NTDA believes this general exemption will create long-term problems.
Tread depth is essential to keep a vehicle in contact with the road in wet conditions and it remains a legal requirement, despite the introduction of a six-month exemption on MoT for Britain’s motorists. TyreSafe is reminding motorists that a tyre being driven below 1.6mm is illegal and if found by the police could result in a fine of up to £2,500 and three-points being added to a driver’s licence – per tyre.
The love and attention some motorcycle riders show their machines borders on obsessive, and this dedication to keeping bikes in top working order is reflected in MOT pass rates. Only 16.9 per cent of bikes fail their initial MOT tests, compared to 33.6 per cent of cars and 42.2 per cent of goods vehicles. But when motorcycles do fail, it’s often for problems that could have easily been rectified beforehand. Tyres are the leading ‘dangerous’ defect.
National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA) members have unanimously said “No!” to the sale of part worn tyres in a new independent survey. The NTDA has been instrumental in helping Trading Standards prosecute traders who illegally sold defective part-worn tyres, and its members have now rejected their sale, en masse.
With schools soon to be back in session in the US, Cooper Tire’s Tread Wisely programme, a tyre and vehicle safety program for teens and young adults, is encouraging students to check their tyres as part of their back-to-school routine.
European lighting and automotive aftermarket specialist, Ring has become a supporter of TyreSafe. Ring will help spread the key messages of TyreSafe’s campaigns and support the charity in its ongoing awareness raising. The company supplies a tyre safety kit for motorists, including award-winning tyre inflators, tread depth and pressure gauges and emergency sealants.
(Photo: Malte luk; Pexels)
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