Do you know how to check your tyre tread?

We have put together some useful tips to help you…

Your tyres are the only part of the car that keeps you in contact with the road. They play a critical role in keeping you safe so it’s important to check your tyres at least once a month and before every long journey… it's better to be safe than sorry.

The minimum legal tread depth for tyres is 1.6mm. It’s recommended that if your tread is 3mm or lower - you should start thinking about replacing them.

How can you measure the tread depth?

Having a closer look at the tyre will help you spot any obvious signs of damage. Look closely at the wear indicators which you'll find in the grooves of the tread pattern. You can get a more accurate reading by using a depth measuring gauge.

You can also use a 20p coin. If you insert the coin into the tread groove and you can still see the outer rim around the edge of the coin, then your tyres are safe and have at least 3mm depth left.

Why is it important?

*The UK has its fair share of wet weather - A car with just 1.6mm tread depth could give you 50% longer braking distance than tyres with a 3mm tread depth. 

*You could be fined up to £2,500 and have 3 penalty points for having an illegal tyre.

*Your car will fail its MOT if the tyre tread depth is below 1.6mm

*When your cars tyres have only 1.6mm left on the tread… they are just 55% effective compared to new. (continental tyres 2006)

*A tyre will rotate 26 million times on average during its lifespan.

Tyre Safety