Do you know how to check whether your tyres are road legal? Research undertaken by the RAC and charity TyreSafe has found that only 39% of drivers know the minimum tyre tread allowed by UK law is 1.6mm. That means the vast majority may be driving on tyres that are not only illegal and could land them with three penalty points and a hefty £2,500 fine but are also putting their lives at risk.
However, one of the most concerning findings from the report was that one in four drivers only check their tyre depths when they either remember to do it or just before their MOT. More shockingly, 5% don’t bother at all and just wait for it to fail their MOT before replacing their tyres.
Of those drivers surveyed who did not regularly check their tyres, 50% said it was because they didn’t think of doing so, while 40% admitted they just rely on their garage or mechanic. Most drivers said that having a regular reminder in their car or a regular update from a tyre pressure monitoring system would encourage them to check their tyres more regularly.
Yet despite the clear importance, a third of drivers surveyed said that nothing would change their attitude to checking their tyres, believing that they would never let them down – despite being one of the primary reasons for an RAC patrol being required.
Alongside the lack of checks, the study also revealed that while 70% of drivers claimed they knew the law around tyre depth, only 16% were correct in stating that it could lead to a £2,500 per tyre and points on your licence. Some drivers also admitted to delaying necessary replacements in a bid to save money.
So before you head out for your next ride, make sure you check your depths!