MOT: Quick checks to do before having your test
Thousands of drivers will fail their MOT tests this September due to simple tyre issues, according to leading experts.
Specialists at Continental Tyres predict more than 300,000 motorists will fail their annual exams due to faulty or illegal rubber.
The number is expected to be this high as September is one of the most popular months for car MOT tests.
Meanwhile, Continental warns many vehicles’ annual check falls in autumn compared to the spring because tests were deferred due to the pandemic.
The group claims a whopping one in ten MOT test failures are down to a problem with tyres as thousands of motorists refuse to check whether they are safe.
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New research from the group shows 41 percent of drivers never inspect their tyres before dropping a car off at the garage.
Meanwhile, a massive 60 percent claim the annual MOT test is the only time their tyres are checked for safety concerns all year.
However, Steve Howat, General Manager for Technical Services at Continental Tyre Group urged road users not to panic if their car does fail on tyres.
Instead of selecting the first option available, road users are urged to take some time to consider their options.
Mr Howat made it clear that tyres would likely have a “significant bearing” on the safety of motorists’ vehicles.
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Speaking to Express.co.uk, he said: “Imagine the scene. Your car is at the local garage, you’re tight on time and you’ve got somewhere to be, and then you get a phone call to say you need two new tyres to pass your MOT.
“It’s easy to understand why people often rush into a quick fix in this situation, asking the garage to fit whatever’s in stock so they can get on their way – or simply taking the garage’s recommendation without asking for more details.
“Your tyres are an important purchase to get right because they are the only contact your car has with the road, and they can have a significant bearing on safety and vehicle performance. So it’s always best to be in the know.”
Earlier this year, DVSA data analysed by the RAC found that tyres were not the most popular reason why drivers failed their tests.
Non-working headlights, indicators and reflectors accounted for a quarter of failures in the past year with faulty or broken suspensions making up almost 20 percent.
But tyres were still responsible for a staggering 12 percent of all MOT failures across the country.
Nicholas Lyes, head of roads policy at the RAC previously said: “Keeping tyres properly inflated and having a smooth driving style will often help prolong the life of the rubber.
“And if something doesn’t sound or feel right, to get checked at a trusted garage as soon as possible.”
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