Take 5 out today to ensure you track your tread depth and check if you’re exceeding the limits.
Many of us motorists are really have a hard time at the moment aren’t we? With car insurance prices continuously rising, the price to tax our vehicles seems to be on the rise and not to mention fuel costs, there seems to be end to the price of motoring today.
Alarmingly 85% of motorists in a recent survey (Manchiem Auctions) failed to correctly identify the UK legal tyre tread depth limit. For those of you reading this now it’s actually 1.6mm.
So why do the police and mechanics keep going on about tyre tread depth…and what actually does it mean?
When a mechanic says “tread” depth, they are talking about the grooves in a tyre that help channel water away which is vital during wet weather performances which will affect the car’s ability to corner and brake safely. The deeper your tread depth becomes, the less effective your tyre is.
It can take nearly 50% further to stop a car in the wet with a tyre tread depth of 1.6mm compared to a new tyre with an 8mm tread depth.
Despite 1.6mm being the minimum limit, its recommended that the safest option is to replace tyres once the depth gets down to 3mm.
HOW TO CHECK YOUR TREAD DEPTH
We’ve put together a simple guide for you to check your depth at home. If you are unsure though, take your vehicle to your nearest garage, and they will happily check for you.
- Visual Check
A visual check of tread depth can be made by looking at the tread wear indicators. When the tread of the tyre is worn down to the levels of the indicator it needs replacing immediately.
Tread Indicators are there for a reason!
- 20p Test
Insert a 20p coin into the lowest tread depth of your tyres. If you can’t see the outer rim around the edge of the coin, then your tyre is safe and has a minimum of 3mm tread depth. If you can see the rim then your tyre tread is less than 3mm and should be checked by a professional
Remember to track depth across tyres too
- Depth across tyres
The tread depth should be above the legal minimum of 1.6mm across three-quarters of the tyre.
Remember for every illegal tyre you have on your vehicle you could be fined 3 points per tyre.