UK Tyre Law: Legal Tread Depth, Fines & Penalty Points | Fastlane

Driving on a tyre below the legal limit carries a fine of up to two and a half thousand pounds and three penalty points, and that applies per tyre. A car with all four below the limit could therefore reach twelve points and a driving ban in a single stop. Police also have the power to issue a prohibition notice. It is one of the easiest offences to avoid. Book a free tread check through our tyre advice page.

The 1.6mm requirement applies across the central three quarters of the tread width and right around the tyre, so a shoulder that still looks deep does not save a tyre worn in the middle. Uneven wear across the width is itself a warning sign, usually of pressure problems or misalignment. Testers check several points. Get a free alignment check if one edge is going faster than the other.

Changing at 3mm is what we recommend and what most tyre makers advise, because independent testing shows wet stopping distances increase substantially between 3mm and the legal limit. The 1.6mm figure is the point at which the tyre becomes unlawful, not the point at which it is still performing. Winter and heavy rain make the difference obvious. Compare options at our St Helens tyre centre and see all season tyres.

Use a 20p coin: push it into the main tread grooves and if the outer band of the coin is hidden, you have more than 1.6mm left. Check at least three points across the width and at three places around the tyre. A proper tread depth gauge costs very little and gives you the actual figure. Our step by step guide to the 20p test shows exactly where to measure.

Cars, vans and light goods vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes all share the 1.6mm minimum. Motorcycles over 50cc require 1mm across three quarters of the tread, with visible tread elsewhere, and heavier goods vehicles are set at 1mm too. Trailers and caravans follow the car rule. Whatever the class, worn tyres carry the same risk in the wet. Speak to us on 01744 808586 or read our tyre advice page.

Tread below 1.6mm is an immediate MOT failure, and so are cuts over 25mm long, bulges, exposed cord, and tyres of mismatched construction across an axle. The tester also checks for damage from kerbing and for tyres that foul the bodywork. A tyre sitting right on the limit at the test will be below it within weeks. Book your MOT in St Helens with us and we will measure the tread beforehand.

Insurers can reduce or refuse a claim where illegal tyres contributed to an incident, and they can treat driving on them as a breach of the requirement to keep the vehicle roadworthy. It is also a factor police record at the roadside. Keeping receipts for tyre work protects you. If a bill is awkward at the wrong time, spread it with 0% Payment Assist on tyres or ring 01744 808586.

Most tyres cover between twenty and forty thousand miles, with fronts on a front wheel drive car wearing roughly twice as fast as rears. Age matters as well as mileage: rubber hardens over time, and anything over six years old deserves inspection regardless of tread. The four digit code on the sidewall gives the week and year of manufacture. We check both at every service and record the readings.

Wear concentrated on both edges means under-inflation, wear down the centre means over-inflation, and wear on one edge only points at alignment or worn suspension bushes. Feathering across the tread blocks is a tracking problem. Kerb strikes and potholes knock the geometry out in an instant. Our four wheel alignment in St Helens puts it right, and our page on pothole damage covers claims.

Fitting the same make, model and tread pattern across an axle is the requirement, and mixing radial with cross-ply construction on the same axle is unlawful. Different brands front to rear are legal but not ideal, as grip balance changes in the wet. On four wheel drive vehicles the manufacturer often insists on four matching tyres to protect the transmission. We will advise what your car needs. See our tyre range or call 01744 808586.

Replacing in axle pairs keeps grip balanced side to side, which matters most under braking and in standing water. Where only two tyres are being changed, fit the new pair to the rear, because rear grip loss is far harder to correct than understeer at the front. That advice holds even on front wheel drive cars. Our fitters follow it as standard. Book at our St Helens tyre centre or use mobile tyre fitting.

Correct pressures do more than anything else, so check them cold every fortnight against the placard in the door shut rather than the maximum on the sidewall. Add regular alignment checks, gentle use of the brakes and steering, and rotating tyres front to rear where the manufacturer allows it. Avoid kerbing the wheels. A free alignment check with every set we fit keeps the new ones wearing evenly.