Motorists are being encouraged to check their vehicles before setting off this August Bank Holiday.
Only one in six drivers remembered to check their tyres before setting off on a long journey, according to research commissioned by National Highways (formerly Highways England).
Yet one in five motorway breakdowns are caused by worn or incorrectly inflated tyres and nearly a third of drivers confessed that they’re not confident checking tyre pressure.
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And with National Highways lifting almost 990 miles of roadworks this bank holiday, meaning around 98 per cent of England’s major A-roads and motorway network will be free from roadworks, the message is to plan ahead and carry out some basic vehicle checks before setting off.
Dave Harford, traffic officer for National Highways, who patrols the M5, M42, M50 and other major routes said: “This is the last bank holiday of the summer, so we expect the roads to be busy with people looking to make the most of a long weekend.
“But the last thing anybody wants on the way to their destination is to have a vehicle breakdown. It’s really important people spend a few minutes checking the condition of their tyres before setting off.
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“Although the legal limit for tyre tread depth is 1.6mm, we recommend you don’t let the tread get that low.
“Changing the tyre at 2mm in summer and 3 mm in winter is good practice and maintains overall good tyre performance in all conditions.”
Drivers stopped by the police and found with illegal tyres could receive a £2,500 fine and three penalty points per tyre.
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