Can You Fail an MOT or get Fined for Bald Tyres?
If any question has an unequivocal ‘yes’ as the answer it’s whether bald tyres will fail an MOT. In fact, bald tyres are one of the most common reasons for MOT failures.
The chances are that you don’t often pay much attention to the condition of your vehicle’s tyres. Unless you see a warning light indicating low tyre pressure, or actually notice a change in the way your vehicle drives, very few people think to regularly take a walk around their car to inspect one of its most important parts. The tyres.
Yet failing to monitor the condition of your tyres can be dangerous to both yourself and other road users. Remember, your tyres are your only connection with the road. They are vital for grip and control. Bald or balding tyres can significantly reduce the traction you have and so it is essential that the tread depth is within the legal limit.
What you need to know about tread depths
Tyre treads are the grooves in the rubber on tyres, designed to drive water away from the point at which your tyre comes into contact with the road. This creates traction with the road surface, enabling you to keep control of your vehicle while accelerating, braking and steering. Without it, there’s a very real possibility of you not being able to control your vehicle. That’s why the legal minimum limit of tyre treads is set to 1.6mm. Anything below this is dangerous and will definitely lead to an MOT failure.
How to check your tyre tread is safe
Besides being unsafe and a major cause of MOT failures, driving on tyres which are below the legal tread limit can also result in a hefty fine. Thankfully, some simple checks can help to avoid this. The 20p test is a quick and easy check that anybody can do to verify tyre tread depth. Simply insert a 20p coin into the tread and look to see whether or not the outer ‘band’ on the coin is still visible.
It’s advisable to do this at several points on each tyre in case you have uneven wear. If the outer band is visible at any point, this means that your tread has worn too low. It’s illegal and dangerous to continue driving on them and you will need to replace your tyres straight away. In practice, tread depth below 3mm will compromise handling and performance.
To help prolong the life of your tyres, make sure that the tyre pressure is right for your particular tyres and try to avoid potholes and scraping against kerbs. Damage to the sidewall of your tyre can cause dangerous blow-outs and will lead to an immediate MOT fail.
For peace of mind and expert advice, Protyre’s qualified fitters can assess your tyres and offer a full fitting service. Here at Protyre, we are always on hand to help guide you to find the most suitable tyres for your needs. Stockists of a wide variety of brands such as Pirelli, Sumitomo, and Bridgestone, our tyre professionals are happy to carry out these checks for you and, if necessary, offer advice on the best replacement tyres to suit your driving needs and budget.
Just contact our friendly local garage team for more information or use the site to book a free tyre check.
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!
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