Listen up Witches and Ghouls, here’s what you need to know about your tyres to keep you safe on the road and not part of a terrifying tale.
Terrifying Tread Depth
Your car tyres are the only contact point between your car and the road and are essential for safe braking and acceleration, control, and ride quality. If your tyres are worn it means that the only contact area between you and the road is compromised.
So checking your tyres have the legal tread depth is the difference between a safe journey and a journey with an accident waiting to happen.
According to the law the legal tyre tread depth for cars in the UK and Europe is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre. The tread must meet this minimum requirement across its complete circumference.
However, many experts believe that this legal minimum depth is actually insufficient to guarantee safety. Independent research by the Motoring Industry Research Association (MIRA) has shown that tyres with 3mm of tread have an average 25% better performance than those at 1.6mm.
Beware of Wet Weather
Worn tyres are even more dangerous in wet weather because a tyre’s tread helps disperse water away from the contact patch between tyre and road. If there’s less tread depth, less water can be dispersed which means there’s an increased risk of aquaplaning and losing grip.
In wet weather braking distance between a tyre worn to 3mm and one worn to 1.6mm can be as much as 44%.
Frightening Fines
Driving with worn tyres is not only a serious safety risk but a costly one too. In the UK the fine for a bald tyre is £2,500 fine and three penalty points, so if all four tyres are worn below the legal limit you could potentially lose your licence and face a £10,000 fine.
How to check your tyre tread depth
The quick, easy and simple way to check the tyre tread on your wheels is to take a 20p coin and insert it into the tread grooves on the tyre. If you can’t see the outer band on the coin your tyres are above the legal limit. But if you can see the band and that section of the coin is still visible your tyres could be unsafe and require professional inspection by a mechanic.
It’s suggested you check your tyres every two weeks, or in the very least every four weeks and always before long journeys.
Want to Win a Treat? Spin our not-so-spooky Wheel to win an extended trial of The Complete Theory Test Kit App, PLUS you’ll be entered into a prize draw to win a £50 Amazon voucher and the Ultimate Driving Course by DGN Driving.
Not passed your Theory Test yet? You can download The Complete Theory Test kit App for FREE and access ALL the CONTENT for FREE for THREE days, after this period you can continue to use the App for £4.99 a month or cancel before the subscription begins. Visit the App store here.