Spare tires and the law

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thedupleman
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Spare tires and the law

#1

Post by thedupleman »

You don't have to carry a spare and it does not have to comply with the legal requirements while it is stowed away. However, when fitted to the vehicle (for example, following a puncture) it must then comply with the law. The spare is not tested in the MOT but the examiner may draw your attention to an unserviceable item as a matter of courtesy.

Penalties
If you drive a vehicle fitted with an illegal or defective tyre on a road, a police officer may give you a Fixed Penalty Notice or, in Scotland, a Conditional Offer Notice.

A police officer has discretion not to issue a fixed penalty but to report the case for prosecution. In law, the driver and the owner (if different) are liable and one or both may be summonsed.

The maximum fine which a court can impose for using a vehicle with a defective tyre is £2,500 and three penalty points (£5,000 in the case of a goods vehicle or a vehicle constructed or adapted to carry more than eight passengers).

If a vehicle is fitted with more than one defective tyre, you can be summonsed for each tyre which is illegal. Disqualification
is also possible in certain circumstances.


your car does not need a spare tire to pass the mot


Look out guys it’s him that thinks he’s in charge!
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thedupleman
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Re: Spare tires and the law

#2

Post by thedupleman »

You must always make sure that tyres on the same axle are of the same size and aspect ratio - your car will fail the MOT test if they're not - but the law makes an exception for temporary use spare wheels fitted in an emergency.
Temporary use spare wheels - non-standard spare/skinny spare - are increasingly being supplied as standard by car manufacturers to save space and weight. Generally these will be narrower than the standard size car tyres.
You can find details of any operating restrictions in the handbook, and the spare tyre itself should be clearly marked too. Maximum speed is usually restricted to 50mph for safety reasons.
Space-saver wheels are designed for temporary use to enable the vehicle to be driven to a place of repair. There is no maximum distance but due to the speed restriction, limited tread depth (only 3mm from new) and the fact that the tyre compound is often softer to simulate the traction capabilities of a wider tyre, the distance covered before repair should not be excessive.

Aim to get the original car tyre repaired or replaced as soon as possible.
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alex scott
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Re: Spare tires and the law

#3

Post by alex scott »

as always, good write up :handgestures-thumbupleft:
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