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DAD'S THE WORD AS MOTORISTS ARE PREPARED TO IGNORE THE BALD TRUTH ABOUT TYRES
Tuesday 06th December, 2011 UK motorists are risking the perils of winter driving by placing their safety in the hands of their dads, as it appears the majority of people do not know how to check if their tyres meet legal driving requirements.
With The Highways Agency urging motorists to prepare for winter, a survey of Just Car Clinics customers has revealed that three quarters of those questioned did not know the legal requirement for minimum tyre tread and more worryingly, 65% did not even know how to check if their tyres were worn. Of those that were in the dark, 40% said their dad still proved to be the go-to-guy when looking for expert guidance on whether their tyres remained legal and safe. A further 23% of customers played a dangerous waiting game by leaving a tyre inspection until their MOT was due.
Whilst dads topped the poll, respondents also said they would seek advice from boyfriends, husbands, father-in-laws, brother, neighbours with one person even suggesting their boss! Just Car Clinics, the UK’s second largest accident repair company,recently launched winter tyre inspections as part of a Free Winter Health Check for motorists looking to stay safe in adverse weather conditions and avoid 3 penalty points and a hefty £2,500 in fines per tyre.
Barry Whittles, Just Car Clinic Group Chief Executive, said: “It is interesting to discover who people turn to but we would advise drivers not to rely solely on their dads!
“It may have been one of the mildest autumns on record but we are hearing regular warnings about winter being on the way so we want all motorists to be ready. Tyres are critical to safe driving in adverse conditions however clearly from our research the majority of motorists are unaware of how to check the level of tread required or, even more worryingly, put off checking their tyres until an MOT by which point it could tragically be too late.”
Roads Minister Mike Penning said this week: "The Highways Agency is ready for winter, but the experience of recent winters is that we must all play our part and be prepared. A few very simple steps taken now can reduce the risk of being caught out by the weather." *
The minimum legal tread depth for tyres is 1.6 mm, however the majority of manufacturers recommend changing at 3mm. As the tread depth reduces, the tyres ability to remove water from the road surface also reduces and the vehicles’ stopping distances increase. In addition to tyres, Just Car Clinics Free Winter Health Check covers other essential vehicle components including antifreeze, screen wash, coolant hoses, fan belt, lights, bodywork check and battery.
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