Is your car roadworthy?

If I told you that there were unroadworthy vehicles on the road, you probably wouldn’t be surprised. But what if I told you there had been a 52% increase in drivers being caught over the past year alone!?

Well, this is exactly what a recent discovery from the RAC has found out.

What the data says:

• In 2024, there were 13,109 penalty point endorsements issued for driving vehicles with defects.
• Defective tyres were the single biggest issue: 8,945 drivers got points for tyre faults which was up over 44% on 2023. 
• The largest proportional rise was brakes! 1,190 drivers were penalized in 2024 versus 181 in 2023. 
• In the “other” category, things like steering and suspension were up 33% with 2,974 endorsements in 2024.

You can read the full article by clicking here

Why this matters to you

This isn’t something that you can simply just brush under the carpet. Firstly, every one of these infractions carries 3 penalty points and that stays on your license for four years!

And if you look at the wider picture, how many more drivers do you think are on the road with unsafe vehicles that haven’t been caught?

It’s not just a legal risk. It puts you, your passengers, and all other road users in danger.

What you can do (and how we can help)

Here’s a quick “roadworthiness checklist”:

• Tyres: tread depth, uneven wear, correct pressures
• Brakes: responsiveness - noticed a change when coming to a stop?
• Steering & suspension – play in linkage, shocks, alignment
• Lights & indicators – bulbs, headlight alignment
• Fluid checks – brake fluid, coolant 
• General condition – rust, bodywork, exhaust, mirrors, tyres

As you will already know, at Buckingham/Bicester Motor Company, we offer servicing, vehicle health checks and MOTs. 

If your car is due a service or MOT or you’re thinking, “Actually, I have noticed a slight juddering” or a phrase we’ve all said, “that doesn’t sound good…” we can book you in, so that you can stay safe, legal and worry-free on the road.

Hit reply to this email or give us a call on 01280 812121.

Drive safe,

Ian