TyreSafe Awards 2018

On Thursday 12th July, the UK’s Tyre Safety Awareness charity, Tyre Safe, will be hosting the Tyre Safe Awards 2018. The free-to-enter awards are open to any company that has made a contribution to raising awareness about tyre safety issues at any time in the previous year. Entries closed on 27th April. The awards will be presented at The Belfry Hotel & Resort, Wishaw in the West Midlands. Changes for the 2018 Awards For the 2018 awards, Tyre Safe has introduced a new structure that is tiered to better represent differing sizes of tyre retailers. All new categories for wholesalers…

UK driving laws continue to be updated but what does this mean for drivers?

Five significant changes are set to make their way into UK motoring laws in 2018. Here’s how to avoid the penalties and fines and remain squarely within the law. MOTs are Changing May 20th sees changes to the MOT test come into force. Firstly, any diesel car that has its Diesel Particulate Filter removed or tampered with will instantly fail the MOT. High definition headlamp bulbs (an aftermarket part) are also set to be outlawed. Reversing lights will also begin to be tested and required to be fixed if found to be out of order. Cars over 40 years old…

Top 10 Car Maintenance Mistakes That Drivers Make

You may have the best intentions in the world to save money and be proactive with your car maintenance, but if you’re making basic mistakes – or worse, ignoring maintenance altogether – you could be causing untold damage to your vehicle. Thankfully, Universal Tyres is here to point you in the right direction of the top 10 car maintenance mistakes that you should avoid. Ignoring the Engine Warning Light If the timing is inconvenient or you are mid journey, it’s tempting to ignore the engine warning light. ‘It will go away’ is common parlance when it comes to all warning…

Child Safety: Car Seats and the Dos and Don’ts

Child safety seats are a grey area for many parents and while you want to keep your child as safe as possible while riding in the car, it can be hard to understand the rules and recommendations regarding child seats. Thankfully, we’re here to spell it out in black and white. So, without further ado here are the dos and don’ts of child safety seats.   The law and child safety seats To abide by the law, your child must use a child car seat up to the age of 12 or 1.35 metres tall. Children over this age and…

How to correctly defrost your windscreen

We’re now in the thick of winter and to avoid costly accidents, it’s worth knowing how to safely defrost your windscreen. Making this part of your morning routine through the colder months will ensure you stay safe on the road, even when you’re up against the icy side of mother nature. Here’s our top tips on how to correctly defrost your windscreen. Use lukewarm water If you’re using water to defrost your windscreen, never use boiling water. This is because the temperature differences are too extreme and will cause the windscreen to expand too quickly, leading to a crack. You’ll…

Pets in cars are costing owners £1000s in fines

The cat’s out of the bag with this one. It’s been a long time coming but drivers are finally feeling the full force of the law where travelling with their pet is concerned. Those who forgo properly securing their dog or cat in their vehicle are being slapped with fines of up to £5000, thanks to a new drive to enforce Rule 57 of the highway code. The Law Rule 57 of the Highway Code specifically states: ‘When in a vehicle make sure dogs or other animals are suitably restrained so they cannot distract you while you are driving or…

Preparing Your Car for Winter: Maintenance Tips

Tis the season to pack your winter emergency kit and place it in the boot, ready for any long delays during the winter weather. Along with your emergency winter kit, here at Universal Tyres we recommend you thoroughly prepare your car for the harsh winter ahead. Here’s a few suggestions from our experienced mechanics. Have your car serviced A professional mechanic is qualified to inspect every major component of your car and check it for damage and wear. Not only that, they can monitor every fluid level and replace or top up fluids as required. A professional service is therefore…

Treading carefully: Staying safe on wet roads

It’s November, you’re stuck in traffic and the driving rain is driving harder than your car, which is going nowhere. A gap in the traffic suddenly opens. To make up for lost time, you floor the accelerator. Then, as you make a bid for freedom from the droves of standing vehicles you feel your own steering go light and the car is out of control. Aquaplaning This scary situation happens all too often in winter, when there is likely to be far more hazards on the roads. Ice, sleet and standing water are all problems caused by plummeting temperatures and…

Young drivers and tyre safety: What you need to know

Ditching learner plates is a proud moment for every teen driver. The freedom of the road beckons, and with it – though they don’t realise it – are all the problems that come with car ownership. Turns out, tyres are a subject that young drivers don’t find all that gripping. How much do young drivers know about tyre safety? Let’s start with some statistics. One survey found that of the UK’s young drivers: 85% underestimated the fine for each illegal tyre 62% underestimated the legal tyre tread depth 57% didn’t know that the driver is responsible for road legal tyres…

Dashboard warning lights: Do you know what they mean?

The cars of today are impressively kitted out with the latest engine management technology, including your vehicle’s warning lights. Every modern car uses these and they’re the most effective tool for keeping your motor running reliably all year round. It’s therefore important to get familiar with what a warning light means, should one illuminate on your dashboard. In all cases it’s recommended to pull over as soon as possible and take the necessary action to fix the problem. In this way, you’ll avoid a complete system failure or serious breakdown. Afterall, solving simple engine issues saves motorists hundreds of pounds…