As the only point of contact between you and the road, keeping your tyres road legal and safe reduces the risk of collisions on the road. Regular checks can also improve vehicle performance, fuel efficiency and can save you money on costly repairs and replacements.

Remember to A.C.T

Air Pressure

Make sure that your tyres are inflated to the correct pressure to maintain proper grip on the roads and avoid uneven wear. You can find the recommended tyre pressure for your vehicle in the vehicle handbook, on the driver or passenger’s door or on the fuel tank depending on your vehicle. You can use a pressure gauge to make sure that your tyres are inflated to the right pressure and then expel or add air as necessary.

Condition

Check for bulges, cuts or nicks in your tyre sidewall as these show that the tyre is significantly damaged and puts you at greater risk of experiencing a tyre blowout.

Check the surface of your tyre for any signs of uneven tyre wear. Look out for any irregular wear visually and by moving your hands across the surface of the tyres and feeling to see if there are any inconsistencies.

Tread Depth

The minimum legal tread depth for a car tyre in the UK is 1.6mm. It’s important to make sure that your tyres have sufficient tread depth to maintain grip on the road. The easiest way to check that you have a safe amount of tread depth is to carry out the 20p test. To do this, insert a 20p coin into your tyre’s tread. If the outer edge of the coin is visible, your tyres could be unsafe and even illegal. Be sure to check tread depth across 3 sections of the tyre and around the circumference too. Completing this check at least once a month and before any long journey is vital in making sure that your tyres remain safe.

DID YOU KNOW?!

If you are stopped by the police and found with illegal tyres, you could receive a £2,500 fine and 3 penalty points per tyre.

For more advice regarding tyre checks and how to keep your tyres safe on the road, visit TyreSafe.org. Image credit to TyreSafe.