Things you should know about the tyre law.

• Good tyres are essential for safe driving
• They're your only contact with the road and affect steering, braking and acceleration.
• The size of the average contact patch a tyre makes with the road surface is no bigger than a footprint.
• Correctly adjusted tyres — with the right balance and the right pressure — not only affect safety, but can make your journey much more comfortable.
• Wrong tyre pressure — high or low — will cause rapid wear.
• Under-inflated tyres will increase fuel consumption.
• Over inflated tyres will reduce grip and give an uncomfortable ride.
• Check tyre pressures every two weeks.
• Check your tyres when they are cold. Even a short journey can warm up tyres and raise the pressure.

• Reliable tyre pressure gauges are not expensive.
• Every new car tyre must meet European standards for speed and durability and be marked on the side wall with E or e.
• The grip of a tyre in wet weather reduces as the tyre wears.
• Reduced speeds in wet conditions improve the grip.
• There are many dangers in buying part-worn or second-hand tyres. Their history is unknown and their apparent normal looks could hide dangerous faults resulting from previous accident damage or poor repairs.
• It is illegal and very dangerous to mix radial ply and cross ply tyres on the same axle.
• It is illegal to have radial tyres on the front and cross-ply tyres on the back — whether front or rear wheel drive vehicles.
• It is an offence to use a tyre that has visible defects such as bald patches, exposed ply or cord, cuts, tears and bulges.
• Your tyres must be suitable for the vehicle you're driving.
• Use any kind of faulty tyre and face fines and up to three penalty points per tyre.