Having the correct tyre tread depth is essential for safe driving. It helps to ensure that your car has good grip on the road, and it also helps to reduce the risk of aquaplaning. Checking your tyre tread depth is a simple process that can be done in a few minutes. In this article, we’ll explain how to check your tyre tread depth and why it’s important.
Why is Tyre Tread Depth Important?
Tyre tread depth is the amount of grooves and sipes in the tyre that help to channel water away from the tyre. This helps to reduce the risk of aquaplaning, which is when your car skids on a wet surface due to a lack of grip. The deeper the tread depth, the better grip your tyres will have on wet surfaces.
The legal minimum tread depth for cars in the UK is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre, around its entire circumference. If your tyres are below this level, you could be fined up to £2,500 and receive three penalty points for each illegal tyre. It’s therefore important to check your tyre tread depth regularly and replace any tyres that are below the legal limit.
How to Check Your Tyre Tread Depth
Checking your tyre tread depth is a simple process that can be done in just a few minutes. Here’s what you need to do:
- Park your car on a flat surface and switch off the engine. Make sure you have enough space around you so that you can move around freely while checking each tyre.
- Take out a 20p coin and insert it into one of the grooves in your tyre with George’s head facing downwards (George is on one side of all 20p coins).
- If you can see all of George’s head above the groove, then your tyres are below 1.6mm and need replacing immediately as they are illegal for use on public roads in the UK.
- If part of George’s head is covered by the groove but some remains visible, then your tyres are still legal but may need replacing soon as they are close to being below 1.6mm deep – it’s best to get them checked by an expert as soon as possible if this is the case.
- If none of George’s head is visible when inserted into a groove then your tyres are above 1.6mm deep and therefore legal for use on public roads in the UK – however, it’s still important to check them regularly as they may still need replacing soon due to wear and tear over time or other factors such as incorrect inflation pressure or alignment issues with your wheels/tyres etc..
Once you have checked all four tyres using this method, make sure you also check their overall condition for any signs of damage or wear such as bulges or cracks etc., which could indicate an issue with their structural integrity even if they pass this test – if any damage or wear is found then it should be inspected by an expert immediately as these issues could lead to further problems down the line if left unchecked/unrepaired..
It’s essential that you check your tyre tread depth regularly – not only because it’s illegal not too but also because having correct levels helps ensure safe driving conditions by providing good grip on wet surfaces and reducing aquaplaning risks etc.. Checking your tyre tread depth couldn’t be simpler – all you need is a 20p coin! Just insert it into one of the grooves with George’s head facing downwards – if part or all of his head remains visible then either replace them immediately (if part or all isn’t visible) or get them checked by an expert (if some remains visible).. Finally, make sure you also check their overall condition for any signs of damage or wear such as bulges or cracks etc., which could indicate an issue with their structural integrity even if they pass this test – if any damage or wear is found then it should be inspected by an expert immediately..
