As brake linings suppliers, we picked up this interesting little story this week about the number of drivers prosecuted for driving unroadworthy cars since 2016, thanks to a Freedom of Information enquiry to the DVLA. This picks up issues concerning not only defective brakes, but also balding tyres, illegal tyre tread, faulty exhausts and steering mechanism malfunctions that could lead to serious incidents on the roads.
Surprisingly or not, London topped the list of the number of convictions brought against unroadworthy cars, and by some measure. The capital had more than five times any other area in the UK, with 4,926 penalties awarded. Birmingham came second in the poll, but with only 792 penalties, some way behind London’s total, reports the RAC.
Mark Tongue, director at Select Car Leasing, who lodged the FoI requests, explained the phenomenon for London drivers: “Many London dwellers use their cars infrequently, because public transport is a much more effective method of getting across the city and if you’re not using your car on a regular basis, it’s much easier for that vehicle to fall into disrepair without you necessarily realising it,” he said.
While the most fault across the UK was related to tyre tread, faulty brakes read highly with 5,613 penalties given out by the DVLA for this particular offence.
It’s hoped that research such as this will raise awareness that not only do vehicle owners need to have a valid MOT by law, but that also regular servicing is their responsibility, and they may face large fines if their vehicle is found to be unroadworthy.