Drivers have been warned of three essential car checks they must make “every time” they drive. Failing to carry out these inspections could see you land a fine of up to £2,500.
Many motorists are aware of the importance of keeping their vehicle roadworthy. By law, your car, motorbike, or van must undergo a Ministry of Transport (MOT) test every year for this reason.
However, outside of this test, you still need to ensure your car is safe for journeys.
On the Government website, it cautions: “You’re responsible for making sure your vehicle is always safe to drive (‘roadworthy’).
“It can be unsafe even if you have a current MOT certificate.” According to GOV.UK, ignoring this could be costly and also see you awarded points on your licence.
It said: “You can be fined up to £2,500, be banned from driving and get three penalty points for driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition.” The Government detailed the three key checks everyone should do before driving.
This is the case “every time you drive”. These checks are that:
- The windscreen, windows and mirrors are clean
- All lights work
- The brakes work
Other impotant checks should be carried out as per advice from your vehicle’s handbook. These include the:
- Engine oil
- Water level in the radiator or expansion tank
- Brake fluid level
- Battery
- Windscreen and rear window washer bottles – top up with windscreen washer fluid if necessary
GOV.UK adds: “The handbook will also tell you when your vehicle needs to be serviced.”
Tyre tread
On top of this, you should regularly check your tyre tread to make sure they are the correct tread depth and are free of cuts and defects.
Tread must be a certain depth depending on the type of vehicle:
- Cars, light vans and light trailers – 1.6 millimetres (mm)
- Motorcycles, large vehicles and passenger-carrying vehicles – 1mm
- Mopeds only need to have visible tread
“There must be tread across the middle three-quarters and around the entire tyre,” the Government website says.
Commercial vehicles
There are different rules for commercial vehicles including HGV, van, bus or coach drivers. “You’re responsible for maintaining the roadworthiness of your vehicle,” GOV.UK says.
“This will help avoid problems with vehicle checks.” It adds: “You must ensure your vehicle is safe to drive before setting off on a journey.”
You should therefore carry out a walkaround check of the vehicle before your journey and check the:
- Lights
- Tyres
- Wheel fixings
- Bodywork
- Trailer coupling
- Load and other equipment
- In-cab vehicle height indicator
For more information, visit the Government website here.