TYRE SAFETY

If you own or drive a vehicle it is extremely important you check your tyres.  

What are tyre treads? 

These are the grooves of rubber on your tyres which grip the road surface and move water away from the path of your vehicle whilst driving.  The legal minimum tyre tread depth in the UK is 1.6 mm across the central 3/4 of tread.  Ideally you should have greater tyre depth than that – 3mm or more with the ideal being 8mm.  There are heavy penalties for driving with illegal tyres and this can involve 3 penalty points on your driving licence plus a fine up to £2,500.

How do I check my tyres?

An easy way to check your tyre tread depth is by using a 20p coin. You need to put the coin in the tread grooves of your tyre (best to do this in at least 3 areas on the tyre).   

If you cannot see the outer band around the edge of the coin your tread is ok as it is above the legal limit.  If however you see any of the outer band around the edge of the coin your tyres may be illegal and unsafe. You need to see a tyre professional. The more tread you have on your tyres the more grip they will provide on the road which is particularly important in wet weather.  

Cars with a tyre tread depth of 1.6 mm or less take two car lengths longer to stop in wet weather than a car with a tyre tread of 3 mm. The deeper the tread grooves reduces the risk of aquaplaning and skidding.

If your tyres have the correct pressure this will also improve the vehicle’s steering, handling and grip.

If your tyres are under inflated this increases your stopping distance by up to 2 car lengths and possibly more in wet weather.  Under inflated tyres are also softer meaning your chances of getting a puncture from sharp objects such as nails is very high. Having tyres at the correct pressure also helps them last longer but be very careful not to over inflate the tyres as over inflated tyres could lead to a blow out.

It is recommended you check your tyres at least once a month or before any long journey.   You should do this even if your vehicle is fitted with a TPMS [Tyre Pressure Monitoring System].

Don’t wait for the warning signs to come on before checking your tyres!  Read the recommended tyre pressures in the handbook provided with your vehicle.  Sometimes it is on the inside of the fuel flap or the sill of the drivers door. Often the recommended tyre pressure is different for the front and the rear tyres so always check this before inflating. Petrol stations also have air machines you can use to check tyre pressure and inflate tyres.  Alternatively you could purchase a car tyre inflater to keep and at home.  

If you have been injured in the last 3 years and the accident was not your own fault, our personal injury team at What’s My Claim Worth are here to help. Call 01244 568 535 to see how we can help you claim compensation for your injuries and financial losses. What’s My Claim Worth are the personal injury department of Oliver & Co Solicitors, rated excellent on Trustpilot.