Are my car tyres safe?
Yours tyres are the only parts of your car in contact with the road and are vital for safe steering, acceleration and braking.
Checking that your tyres are in good condition is one of the most important check-ups you can carry out on your car.
Many accidents happen because of under inflated and defective tyres, a travesty when they are so easy to check.
Follow this simple steps to keep yourself and other road users safe:
Look for any bulges, cuts or cracking to the side walls.
Check the tyre pressure as under or over inflated tyres may lead to poor handling, poor fuel consumption and potentially cause a blowout.
Where can I find my tyre pressure?
The correct pressure should be detailed in the vehicle handbook, in the sill of the driver’s door or on the fuel tank flap.
Check the tread depth using a tyre gauge – 1.6mm is the legal requirement though we recommend changing your tyres at 3mm as the extra tread makes a massive difference to stopping distance when braking. Make sure you check the tread depth at 3 different places on each tyre, from the inside to the outside to ensure you check for uneven wear.
You can check the tread with a 20p piece. Place the 20p coin into the grooves of your tyre and if you are unable to see the rim of the coin, your tread is legal as it is 3mm or more – don’t forget to check in 3 places across the tyre, inside edge, middle and outer edge.
Do you know that driving with illegal tyres is not only dangerous but you risk a £2500.00 fine per tyre so 4 illegal tyres may land you a £10,000.00 fine plus 12 penalty points.
Call into any of our branches at Sudbury, Haverhill, Diss, Saffron Walden, Bury st Edmunds, or Stowmarket and let us carry out safety checks. Call in whenever you are passing; we are always happy to see you.
Check out our guide on how to check your tyre tread depth and tyre pressures
https://www.treadfirst.co.uk/how-to-check-your-tread-depth-tyre-pressure/
