Stricter control of worn tyres
Stricter control of worn tyres and maximum speed during car inspection from 1 December!
New rules for the inspection of car tyres will be introduced from 1 December. This was reported by the Department of Mobility and Public Works. With these rules, Flemish Minister of Mobility Annick De Ridder (N-VA) wants to make car inspections safer, simpler and more transparent.
There will be stricter control of tyre wear. The wear indicator, a block in the main groove of the tyre, indicates when the tyre needs to be replaced. If this block is in line with the tyre, the car will be rejected with a red inspection certificate with a validity of fifteen days, while this is not rejected today. During these fifteen days of validity, the vehicle may drive on public roads, but the defect must be addressed and the vehicle must be re-inspected no later than two months after the rejection.
If the wear indicator shows that the tread depth of the tyre is lower than 1.6 millimetres, the vehicle will receive a red inspection certificate with a ban on traffic from 1 December, today this is still a red inspection certificate with a validity of fifteen days. In the event of a ban on traffic, the driver may only take the shortest route between his place of residence, the repair shop and the inspection centre.
In addition, the speed index of the tyres is set at 160 kilometres per hour, even if the vehicle can handle a higher speed. The speed index determines the maximum permitted speed at which a car with that tyre may drive. This measure is being introduced because nowhere in Flanders may you drive faster than 120 kilometres per hour. Today, the speed index of the tyres must always be equal to the maximum speed of the vehicle, which is stated on the certificate of conformity. In the future, a warning label must be placed on the dashboard if the speed index of the tyres is lower than the maximum speed of the vehicle.
There will also be a mandatory e-marking for tires of vehicles that were first registered after January 1, 2004. This mark indicates whether the tire meets the European safety standards. "Most vehicles already have such a marking, so it will not lead to a mass of rejections," says the Department of Mobility and Public Works.
In addition to the tightening, the conditions for the symmetry of the tires will be less strict. From December 1, tires on the same axle must only have the same structure and dimensions. Previously, the load and speed index of the tires were also checked.
Source: Het Laatste Nieuws 14/11/2024