Motorists who avoid a simple tyre check could be fined up to £10,000 and receive penalty points on their licence, according to online tyre retailer Blackcircles.
Over a quarter of drivers skip tyre checks
Blackcircles claims that more than a quarter of drivers have bought a second-hand car without checking the tyres, a habit that could cost them £10,000 and add points to their licence. Every driver risks wearing down tyres to dangerous levels over time, but carrying out this check could prevent an affordable car deal from turning into an expensive mistake that may cost a licence.
James Harding, a tyre specialist at Blackcircles, said: "Worryingly, many motorists don’t regularly check the condition of their vehicle's tyres and are unaware of the consequences they could face if they don’t meet the legal requirements. Having illegal tyres not only poses a risk to the driver of the vehicle but also to other motorists and pedestrians.
"If your car has a tread depth lower than the legal requirement of 1.6mm, the amount of grip the vehicle has on the road is reduced, hindering the vehicle’s ability to come to a hard stop, risking an accident. As well as posing harm to yourself and others, having illegal car tyres could also land you with a hefty fine and penalty points on your licence."
What does the law say about tyre depth?
In the UK, the legal minimum tyre tread depth for cars, vans, and light trailers is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tread, continuously around the entire circumference of the tyre. If caught by the police, this fine can stack depending on how many tyres fall short of the legal requirement.
Motorists can be fined up to £2,500 per illegal tyre, so taking a chance with four tyres could result in a fine of up to £10,000. The consequences don’t stop there.
Each tyre under the limit adds three points to your licence. Assuming that drivers are stopped with a clean licence, four tyres instantly add 12 points, which can lead to a driving ban.
How can I test for this?
There are specific small tools, known as tread depth gauges, that can provide an accurate measurement of the total depth to the millimetre. People can buy these tools for £10 or less on Amazon, Argos or Halfords.
For a cheaper alternative, people could try the 20p method. It uses a coin to roughly check whether the tyre tread is below the legal limit without investing in a dedicated tool or taking it to a garage.
To do this, insert a 20p coin into the main tread grooves and see if the outer band of the coin is visible. Because of the uniform guide around the coin, it can show if the tread may be below the legal limit and should be checked with a proper gauge.
