Tyre Safety Month: Checking your Tyre Tread

Tyre tread plays an important part in road safety. Drivers should keep their tyre tread above illegal levels to ensure that they have a good grip on the road, especially during wet conditions, as decent tread helps to remove water from your tyres.

According to current UK law, car, van and lorry drivers must have at least 1.6mm of tread across the middle ¾ of the tyre, all the way around. This is different for trucks, which require at least 1mm continuously around the central ¾ of the tread. Motorbikes over 50cc require 1mm across ¾ of the tyre width. The tread pattern must be visible on the remaining ¼ of the tyre.

Driving with less than the legal levels of tread is illegal, and is taken seriously in the eyes of the law. It can result in a fine of up to £2,500, and three penalty points per tyre.

To check whether your tyre tread is legal or not, try the simple 20p test. Take a 20 pence piece, and place it in the main tread grooves. If the outer band of the coin is obscured, the tread is above the legal limit. If the outer band is visible, your tyres could be illegal – get a professional to take a look as soon as possible.

The life of a set of tyres depends on how they are used. If you maintain your tyres well, and keep them inflated, they will last longer. Your tyres will also benefit from a prolonged life if they are used on motorways, rather than inner-city roads.

You might find that your tyres wear in an irregular fashion, so be sure to check the tread at various points around the tyre. Irregular wear can be due to a range of factors, including: scuffing them on the curb when parking, under inflation, or bad driving habits, such as speeding and breaking suddenly.

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