car laws
Laws involving tyres
The law is quite strict when it comes in to tyres on your car and legal limit. This is because tyres can be one of the main causes of accidents in the UK. Tyres can cause accidents if damaged, under or over inflated, tread level is too low or incorrectly fitted / wrong sort. When it comes to tyre depths, the law states that you must have 1.6 mm of tread across 75% of the tyre. If this is not the case you can end up with three points on your license for each illegal tyre. Damaged tyres can be hard to spot which is why it is essential to inspect your tyres on a regular basis. Punctures, damage due to extreme weather and uneven tread wear are all signs...
Problems with your Diesel Particulate Filter
Exhaust emission regulations have required diesel powered cars to be fitted with a diesel particulate filter, or DPF, since 2009, with the aim of reducing the sooty particulates in cars exhaust emissions. Though these devices are effective in their aim, you may find your driving style causing problems as sooty deposits build up and potentially clog the filter. The DPF needs to periodically burn off the sooty deposits in a process called regeneration and if this is not working properly, you may find the DPF warning light coming on as the filter becomes full and blocks the exhaust. There are two kinds of regeneration, passive and active. Passive regeneration of the DPF occurs at high exhaust temperatures, such as during motorway driving at high speeds. Obviously, cars that only do...
Know the law on child seats
The law on car seats is actually very clear however there are a lot of people who don’t realise or simply don’t follow the government guidelines that are enforceable through law. The most up to date guidelines on which seat is appropriate and safe for carrying your child can be found on the Gov.UK website. The seats are categorised according to age and weight of the child and the website states that all children under the age of 12 or under the height of 135cm must use a booster seat. There is some confusion around the exemption rules regarding a short unexpected journey, children over the age of 3 may travel without a child seat in these circumstances provided they wear an adult seatbelt. Children under the age of 3...
Law regarding driving your car to an MOT station
An MOT test checks that your vehicle meets road safety and environmental standards and must be carried out at an approved MOT testing station. All cars over three years old are required to have a valid MOT and the car must be retested every year. If your MOT has expired on the car you may wonder how you can get it to the test station. The laws states that you cannot drive the vehicle on the road with an expired MOT but you can drive it to an approved MOT station if it is booked in for a test. Be warned, those who try to drive a vehicle without an MOT could face prosecution and even have the vehicle seized. An MOT will not check the mechanical condition of the...
Smoking Ban In Cars
By 2015, The UK Government will introduce a new law in England which will make smoking in a car a criminal offence when there is a child as a passenger. Smoking around a child can not only have an affect on you but it can also be critical for their health. Smoke can stay in the air for up to two and a half hours even when the window is open making smoking in a car dangerous for passengers, especially children who are oblivious to the damage the smoke is causing for their health. Exposure to smoke can cause chest infections, asthma, blood clots and ear problems. Research shows 300,000 children in the UK visit a GP each year because of the effects of second-hand smoke, with 9,500 going to...