A new survey by Protyre reveal that 75% of motorists are potentially breaking the law

New car sales in the UK are already being affected by the credit crunch and there is now mounting evidence that motorists are delaying replacing worn and defective tyres. This false economy is putting drivers, passengers and other road users in danger of an accident or the potential for prosecution.

Protyre, Britain’s largest independent tyre dealer network, has revealed that over three quarters of motorists visiting their outlets had at least one defective or badly worn tyre, up dramatically on a year ago. Motorists driving a vehicle with a defective tyre face possible prosecution risking a fine up to £2,500 and three penalty points on their licence per tyre. Bald tyres also compromise safety, offering less grip in the wet and with the UK going into what is predicted to be one of the wettest autumns for many years, the dangers are all too obvious.Commenting on the Protyre findings, Adrian Walsh, director of RoadSafe, said, “This research is worrying. Clearly drivers are delaying the replacement of worn tyres which is a false economy and will place drivers at greater risk of having an accident”.