Keep your car road legal

Keeping your car properly maintained is essential to help you stay safe on the roads – and it should also ensure you steer clear of legal trouble.

Vehicle spot-checks are becoming increasingly popular with the police, and if your car and documentation isn’t all in order, you could face punishment – from a fine to a driving ban, or even a prison sentence.

There are a number of legal requirements you must meet in order to keep your vehicle on the road – many well known but others not. The hints and tips below should help keep your car on the right side of the law.

MOT

If your car is less than three years old (starting from the date of its initial registration), it will not require an MOT. However, at the end of its third year, you will need to book the car in for its test. From then onwards, the test will need to be taken and passed every year in order for the car to be deemed legal and roadworthy.

A car which is more than three years old and does not have a valid, current MOT certificate should not be on the road in any circumstance.

A well-maintained car should have no trouble passing its MOT, but be aware that relatively small faults, such as a chip in the windscreen, can lead to a failure.

Look after your tyres

Many car legality issues involve tyres - understandably so, as it is they which put the vehicle in contact with the road.

Your tyres must have a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm in order to be legal, though for safety reasons most vehicle manufacturers advise replacing them at 3mm.

Be aware that there are two main types of tyre, 'Radial' and 'Cross-ply', and fitting one of each to the same axle is illegal.

Even if you have the correct tyres fitted, they should be habitually checked for irregularities. Any bumps, bulges, tears or distortion you find could lead to a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty points. They could also contribute to a ‘blow-out’ on the motorway that would be even more costly.

Stay topped up

Keep your engine oil, coolant and windscreen wiper fluid regularly topped up to the levels recommended by the vehicle manufacturer.

Few people know that it is actually against the law to drive without any windscreen washer in store.

Display your tax disc

Regardless of your car’s condition, an expired tax disc will land you in legal trouble. Your car must be fully taxed each year (or six months, depending on how you choose to pay) and the disc displayed clearly in the windscreen.

There exists a common misconception that you have 14 days grace after your tax disc expires, to claim a new one. In fact, the moment your tax runs out, the DVLA computer can issue you with an £80 fine. Continuing to drive without a tax disc could lead to a fine of over £1,000.

http://www.kwik-fit.com/uk-tyre-law.asp - More information on legal and illegal tyres.
http://www.direct.gov.uk - Advice on how, when and where to get an MOT.