MOTORISTS in Bradford should measure their tyre tread today as they could be risking a £2,500 fine for EACH bad tyre on their car.

With winter fast approaching, the poor weather will become a nightmare for learner and newly qualified drivers as they navigate through the snow and ice to keep their car in the right direction.

To assist learners and newly qualified drivers, a new winter survival guide from young driver specialists, Marmalade has been released to cover essential knowledge like how to check your tyre tread, what you should always keep in your car during the winter and what to avoid on the roads so you don't end up getting fined, as well as one or two things you might not expect.

The guide reveals that having bald tyre tread could lead to a fine of £2,500, meaning a vehicle with four bad tyres could potentially set drivers back by £10,000.

Legally, a tyre tread must be a minimum of 1.6mm to pass, however anything less than 3mm can drastically reduce performance.

The experts state drivers should check their tread with a 20p coin to ensure there is more than 3mm before setting off on a trip. If the edge disappears when dropped into the tread, then the tyres are safe to drive with.

Crispin Moger, chief executive of Marmalade, said: "As a new driver, if you are yet to experience winter conditions on the road they can prove to be a bit of a challenge.

“We thought it would be handy for new drivers of the UK to have this guide to hand should they need it. It offers some pearls of wisdom as we head into the winter months.

“New drivers haven't had the best time over the last six months and many will be wanting to experience the freedom of being on the road and making sure that they can do that safely is a real focus for us."

The guide also offers some vital tips, like the exact settings you should have your heaters and fans set to in order to clear your window screens with ease as often it can be difficult to find the right settings It's especially important information, considering you could be fined £60 if your windows are too fogged up when it's cold outside and £1,000 if driving with the obstruction is deemed to be careless driving.