Tyre Care - Are Your Tyres Up To Scratch?

By David Sholicar

Making sure that the tyres on your car or van have adequate read depth and are within the law, can be a matter of life or death. Tyres with less than the legal minimum of 1.6 mm can compromise your safety on the road and potentially lead to an accident.

Miniature workers inspect tyre tread

The UK tyre law, and that for all EU nations, is the same, 1.6 mm of tread across the central three quarters of the width of the tyre in a continuous band around the circumference of the tyre. However, some European countries do have additional tyre law requirements and these can be checked prior to travelling by calling into your local reputable tyre dealer for advice.

The tyre law of 1.6 mm is, of course, the minimum and most tyre safety experts advise that when the tread depth falls below 3 mm, at which point wet weather grip is dramatically reduced, then drivers should consider replacement.

But how do you check the tread depth on your tyres?

The simplest way is of course to buy a tread depth gauge from your local motor accessory shop and check all four tyres, and don’t forget the spare, on a regular basis. Another way, and not readily appreciated by drivers, is to check the sidewall of a tyre where you will find the three letters TWI, which stands for Tread Wear Indicators. Adjacent to those letters, and positioned in the grooves of the tread, are bars of rubber set at 1.6 mm. If those bars are flush with the tread then to tyre are close to being illegal and must be replaced.

With exclusive online pricing on 1000's of tyres, all from leading maunfacturers, Protyre has a comprehensive range that will have the best solution for your vehicle. Use our quick and easy Tyre Finder below to start searching now.

Should checking your tyres be inconvenient as part of your vehicle maintenance, or just too difficult, all reputable tyre dealers will be happy to undertake a simple tyre safety check which will include tread depth, pressure and general tyre condition.

We Can Help You Choose The Right Tyre

Tyres are essential for keeping your car safe and performing at its best, but with so many options out there, it can be tough to know where to start. That's where our informative articles come in – we're here to help you navigate the world of tyres and make the best choice for your specific needs.

Whether you're considering upgrading to Premium car tyres for enhanced driving dynamics, run flat car tyres for added peace of mind, or trying to decide between summer car tyres and winter car tyres, Protyre can help. Our articles have got you covered with a wide range of tyre-related topics to help you make informed decisions.

The brand you choose matters too. We offer recommendations for trusted names such as BF Goodrich tyres, Bridgestone tyres, Continental tyres, Dunlop tyres, Falken tyres, General tyres, Goodyear tyres, GT Radial tyres , Hankook tyres, Michelin tyres, Pirelli tyres, Runway tyres, Sumitomo tyres, and Toyo tyres. But our articles don't just focus on choosing the right tyres – we also offer practical advice for maintaining them. From simple tips like checking your tread depth and keeping your tyres inflated to the proper pressure, to more advanced topics like extending tyre life through regular rotation and balancing - we've got you covered! Dive in and discover everything you need to know to keep your car running smoothly and safely with Protyre.

Protyre offer Free Tyre Checks to all customers at all of our fast-fit garages. To book your vehicle in today, click the button below.

Not sure where your local Protyre is? Use our garage locator to find out.

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About the author

Article Author Photo
By David Sholicar
David is the National Retail Operations Manager for Protyre. One of David’s areas of responsibility and expertise is dealing with the DVSA and MOT’s for Protyre. As the Authorised Examiner Designate Manager ( AEDM ) David deals with applications for changes to the many Vehicle Testing Stations ( VTS’s) including managing the growth of the Number of MOT testing stations that Protyre operate, allocating MOT tester roles, and monitoring the MOT Test logs to ensure that Protyre MOT standards are maintained as the best in the industry.
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