Drivers who make four mistakes between now and November risk £10,000 fine

Failing to have safe tyres could lead to a fine of up to £10,000 if you are driving through poor weather and heavy flooding - because you're at risk of aquaplaning.

Drivers have been warned over £10,000 fines this autumn if they haven't checked their tyres. Failing to have safe tyres could lead to a fine of up to £10,000 if you are driving through poor weather and heavy flooding this autumn (which the Met Office defines as September to November) - because you're at risk of aquaplaning.

Aquaplaning can happen when driving on wet roads at high speeds, or when a vehicle encounters a pool of water on the road. The water builds up faster than the vehicle's weight can displace it, creating a wedge of water that lifts the tires off the road. This causes the vehicle to lose steering, braking, and power control.

Car specialists at Western & Barnetts Toyota warn you could be fined £2,500 per tyre if they are not safe. They said: “The police have the power to fine drivers that they consider to have no due care and attention for amounts of up to £2,500. This includes if the police think your tyres are not suitable for the wet road condition.

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“The fine can be handed out for each tyre, so potentially a £10,000 fine and also three penalty points accompanying each fine.” They said: “If the police find you have lost control of your car because you were driving too fast in wet conditions, you can also be charged with dangerous driving.

"This charge carries a £5,000 fine and up to 9 points on your licence.” If you experience aquaplaning, you should gently ease off the accelerator, and keep a firm grip on the steering wheel, and avoid sudden movements, and also slowly decelerate until your car regains traction

“Insufficient tyre tread depth will cause stopping distances to be longer,” National Tyres said. “On wet road surfaces, your tyres will not be able to disperse water effectively, meaning you could lose control of your vehicle, potentially leading to disastrous circumstances.”

“Many studies have shown significant decreases in performance (particularly in the wet) as the tyre tread drops below 2-3mm,” they added. “In fact, many blue light services routinely change their tyres at 3mm.” The RAC says: “Aquaplaning can be made worse by two other factors – the condition of a vehicle’s tyres and the speed that the vehicle is travelling.

“It’s said that good quality tyres can clear the equivalent of a bucket of water off a road every seven seconds – meaning that tyres in tip top condition can handle a fair amount of water when driving in wet conditions. Conversely, tyres with a low tread will struggle to clear as much water and could, in the wrong conditions, make the issue worse and allow the layer of water to build up beneath the tyres.”