According to the DGT, driving a vehicle whose tires do not have a pattern or do not meet the minimum conditions of use is a serious offense and carries a fine of 200 euros per tire.
Tires are the only element that comes into contact with the asphalt, so keeping them in good condition is essential to ensure our safety at the wheel. Due to its importance, the traffic regulations state that driving a vehicle whose tires do not have a pattern or do not meet the minimum conditions of use is a serious offense punishable by a fine of 200 euros per tyre, up to 800 euros in the case of having all four covers in bad shape.
However, it seems that we Spaniards do not pay the necessary attention to them, as from January to December 2021 the number of fines doubled for this reason, indicating that the number of sanctions has also increased sharply.
According to the CEA Foundation and Continental Alert, nearly 800 occupations of drivers fined for driving a vehicle whose tires were in poor condition were registered by 2021. According to data from the CEA Foundation and Continental, in December 2021, twice as many funds were registered for fines imposed for this violation. For example, nearly 800 drivers turned to the Foundation’s legal department to request a fine for the poor condition of their tires.
With insufficient tread depth, braking distances and the risk of aquaplaning in the rain increase exponentially, in addition to negatively affecting the vehicle’s grip in all conditions. Therefore, our tires must have a depth of at least 1.6 mm to be within the legal minimum to circulate in Spain and avoid a fine.
Below the required 1.6 millimeters, for example, a tire that rolls away at 90 km/h on wet almost completely loses contact with the asphalt, and when this happens, the vehicle spins out of control. One of the tricks to find out if the wheel is below the legal or recommended minimum and not suffer any of these contingencies, the solution is to place a euro vertically on the tread: if the gold rim of the coin covers with the rubber, it means the tire is still usable.
Likewise, the sidewall of the tire must also be taken into account. In this case, it is critical to understand that any tire with a bulge or crack in the sidewall should be replaced as this indicates that the structural integrity of the tire has been significantly reduced, significantly reducing the chance of a sudden failure or blowout. is enlarged. any speed.
They remember from the tire company that maintaining the correct tire pressure is essential for proper operation, maintaining the level of safety, preventing premature wear and not increasing fuel consumption. “Insufficient tire pressure affects safety and leads to a loss of performance. Therefore, it can show unusual wear, reduce performance and increase the likelihood of a tire blowout. In addition, we can get startled while driving, because without the right pressure a tire will not have the right grip and we could lose control of the vehicle,” explains Jorge Cajal, Director of Communications at Continental Tires Spain.
Source: La Verdad
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
