Minimum legal tyre tread

What is the minimum legal requirement of a tyre tread depth? The legal minimum tyre tread depth varies by each type of vehicle. Type of vehicle: Minimum tread depth: Cars Goods vehicles (500kg) Trailers and caravans (500kg) At least 1. For safety reasons it is recommended that you replace your tyres before the legal limit is reached.

Many vehicle manufacturers recommend replacing at millimetres, as below this. The minimum legal tyre tread depth according to the UK police is currently 1.

However, this is the absolute legal limit, and tread depth that’s even a millimetre below 1. According to the law , the tyre tread depth must be at least 1. However, it’s important to note that this is the absolute minimum. If the tread measurement is between 1. Research shows that it can take a car with 1. It is common knowledge that the minimum legal tread depth for all passenger car tires in Europe is 1. However, the extensive ADAC research proved that the minimum legal tread depth only describes the tire ’s margin of safety. For summer tires, the remaining tread depth must be no less than mm, and for winter and all-season tires it must.

UK Tyre Law Tread depth.

Tyre and safety experts believe the 1. Tests by UK technical organisation MIRA found that, once tyres are below 3mm, stopping distances increase dramatically. Some manufacturer ‘approved used’ schemes might include minimum tread depth requirements but in general a car sold by a dealer only has to be roadworthy – tyres would have to meet the legal minimum requirement but no more. Only of LGV drivers know the correct minimum legal tread depth for their truck’s tyres , highlighting a need for further education within the industry. A survey carried out by Goodyear and the Freight Transport Association ’s (FTA) Vehicle Inspection Service (VIS) found that although of drivers check their tyres before each new journey they make, the majority were unable to identify. Drivers will also be issued three penalty points for each tyre which does not meet legal tread depth rules.

As penalties are issued based on each tyre , road users could see penalties rise to £. While UK tyre law states that a wheel should have a minimum tread depth of 1. This is confirmed by RoSPA’s study, which found stopping distances increase by 44. In wet weather tyre tread grooves help to remove water from the contact patch between your tyres and the road surface meaning your car can brake, steer and accelerate properly. Without adequate tread.

That’s why tyre experts, like Kwik Fit, and leading premium tyre manufacturer, Continental, strongly recommend that you replace your tyres before they reach the UK road legal tyre tread depth mimimum of 1. Because we believe this minimum depth is too low, and – like Continental – as members of TyreSafe – the UK tyre safety charity – we’re continuously campaigning to have. Minimum tread depth for vans and LCVs Vans and LCV’s are subject to the same tyre law as cars so they must have a minimum of 1. So, as your tyre wears, its ability to grip the road decreases, meaning longer stopping distances and a higher risk of aquaplaning. Although the legal minimum tread depth is only 1. MIRA shows that tyres with 3mm of tread have an average better performance than those at 1. Tread must be a certain depth depending on the type of vehicle: cars, light vans and light trailers - 1.

Of those questione percent gave an incorrect figure for the legal minimum tread , while a fifth (percent) confessed to simply not knowing. Perhaps of even more concern was the fact that more than one in drivers (percent) said they didn’t know what tyre ‘ tread depth’ meant. Four percent of respondents, meanwhile, incorrectly said the minimum tread depth depends on the make of. In the UK, the minimum legal tread depth for tyres is 1. Despite this legal minimum , most motoring organisations and safety experts believe that 1. Therefore it is advised that 2-3mm is the minimum tread depth you should realistically continue to drive on before replacing your tyres.

The law requires a minimum tread depth of 1. You can check the tyre ’s tread depth with a tyre tread depth gauge, but for a. A brand new car tyre starts off with approximately 8mm of tread. So what is the legal tyre tread depth? This is across the central three-quarters of the tyre and the tread. Check the depth of the main tread grooves in several places both across and around the tyre , using the gauge in the fashion demonstrated in the manufacturer’s guidelines.

Tyre safety is a matter of life and death. Tyre wear on outside edge – is it legal ?