Know everything about Legal tyre tread depth and how to check it.
Tyre tread. It’s an important safety component. Alas, many of us fail to check our wheels and tread regularly. Luckily, though, tyre tread is incredibly easy to check. In line with this thought, today, we’re looking at some of the main things you should know. Hopefully, this will help you stay safe while out and about on the roads.
To begin with, you can check if a car has previously been marked as having low tyre tread by checking the registration plate against a car check tool, which will reveal the full MOT history for free. For example, if a car has an advisory or failure due to low tyre tread, this will show on the report.
There are numerous reasons tread depth is so crucial. However, given the importance of safe driving, this is something that we cannot afford to overlook.
Indeed, the amount of tread on your tyres directly influences your car’s ability to grip the road. This isn’t just important in slippery or wet driving conditions, either. While grip is paramount when the road conditions are treacherous, it is still an important consideration on dry roads. As such, just because the roads may be okay shouldn’t mean you compromise on tread.
Now we’ve clarified why tread is so imperative, we should take the chance to look briefly at how to measure tyre tread. Don’t panic; this is actually very easy!
There are several ways to go about this. Of course, the deeper your tread, the better; so, if your tyres are old and worn, there’s a good chance you’ll need to replace them. However, it’s not necessarily crucial just to replace your tyres just because they’re older; this often depends on wear, so checking with one of the following three methods is vital.
Perhaps one of the most well-known ways to measure tyre tread is the 20p test. This simple test allows a relatively accurate way to tell if your tyres are getting close to the 1.6mm limit. Place a 20p coin in the trea, and if the rim of the coin is fully covered, your tyres should be okay for a while. However, if the edges of the coin are not hidden completely and stick out, your tread is likely getting close to or below the limit. Of course, this test doesn’t give you an exact figure, but it can give an idea.
Next, look at your tyres directly to see if they have wear indicators. If your tread has reached the indicator line, it means they are at or below the legal limit. In this case, you will need to replace your tyres immediately; this can also be useful for estimating how much your tyres have worn over time.
Finally, the most accurate method is to use a tyre tread gauge. These specifically measure how much tread you have left, allowing you to keep your car safer. However, they can naturally take a little getting used to. So, it’s potentially worth double checking your tyres with one of the following methods, to ensure you’ve done it right.
Before driving your car out on the road, making sure you have considered today’s simple tread depth tips is imperative. Fortunately, this isn’t a complex process. And, with the right approach, you can help keep your car safe and stable on the road. So, there really is no reason to miss your tyres getting close to the limit!
