Simple Check for Legal, Greener & Safer Motoring!
Tuesday, May 11th, 2010: NSAI (National Standards Authority of Ireland) is urging motorists to be vigilant when purchasing tyres for their vehicles and to look closely at the markings of their tyres.
The e mark check has also become an additional requirement in the NCT testing of motor vehicles. As of April 1st 2010, tyres that do not display one of these marks automatically fail the NCT test.
Motorists who are planning to buy new tyres for their vehicles should perform a simple visual check to ensure that the tyres carry the “E” or "e" mark, which indicates that the tyres meet the safety and environmental requirements of European and international standards.
The e mark check has also become an additional requirement in the NCT testing of motor vehicles. As of April 1st 2010, tyres that do not display one of these marks automatically fail the NCT test.
Maurice Buckley, CEO, NSAI, said, "The use of tyres that carry the e mark is a very important aspect to motoring safety. NSAI is therefore urging vehicle owners to check their tyres for compliance with the e-mark. In addition, all tyres sold in Ireland must be labelled with an e mark. Purchasing tyres that do not display this mark is illegal. Motorists should also always ensure that their tyres are appropriately inflated and have more than the minimum tread depth. Under-inflated and worn out tyres increase the risk of road accidents as well as reducing fuel efficiency.”
The e mark is located on the sidewall of the tyre and is followed by a number from 1 to 50, with the 'e' mark surrounded by a rectangle and the “E” mark surrounded by a circle. "E" means the tyre has been tested against international regulations, whilst "e" means the tyre has been tested against European directives. A tyre carrying the “E” or “e” mark of any European member state Approval Authority will meet the NCT requirement for the use of tyres to the appropriate standard. It is not possible to “E” or “e” mark tyres retrospectively.
Mr. Buckley added, "In conjunction with the e-marking and the future classification of tyres motorists will, I believe, no longer look at purchasing tyres and think just about the costs. Being able to base the decision on fuel efficiency or wet grip is certainly going to make motorists pay more attention to what kind of tyres they purchase and the safety and environmental standards being offered.”
Contact the NSAI on 01 807 3800 for further details on the e-mark type approval of tyres.
