The tyres are the only contact point between your vehicle and the road. If your tyres are past their best then the safety of your vehicle will be compromised.
Driving a car with bald tyres can risk a fine of £2,500 and three penalty points. That’s per tyre, too. If all four tyres are worn below the legal limit, you could potentially lose your licence and face a £10,000 fine.
What is the legal tyre tread depth limit in the UK?
The legal tyre tread depth minimum limit for cars in the UK and Europe is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre. By law, the tread depth must meet this minimum requirement across its complete circumference.
The difference in wet braking distance between a tyre worn to 3mm and one worn to 1.6mm can be as much as 44%.
Worn tyres are particularly dangerous in the wet because a tyre’s tread helps disperse water away from the contact patch between tyre and road.
How to check tyre tread depth – the 20p test
The 20p test is a simple, quick and easy way of checking the tyre tread of your car’s wheels.
Just 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.
However, 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.
We suggest drivers conduct the 20p test around every two weeks and before long journeys.
Checking tyre tread with a tyre tread depth gauge
A tyre tread depth gauge is a purpose made tool that makes it easy to quickly measure the depth of an individual tyre groove. Simply place the tool on the tyre and it will tell you what the depth of your tyre is in millimetres.
Analogue tyre tread depth gauges (pictured above) are common, but digital gauges are also popular. Both tools make it easy to check your tyres are safe and legal.
Please note: If you are involved in an accident and the car you are driving has illegal or bald tyres, any insurance claim as a result of an accident could be invalidated, so potentially your insurer won’t pay out any money any repairs needed to your vehicle.
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