UK law requires that
your vehicle is fitted with the correct type and
size of tyre for the vehicle type you are
driving and for the purpose it is being used.
This means fitting the right tyres and for
safety ensuring that they are inflated to the
manufacturer's recommended pressure.
The
legal limit for minimum depth of the
tread on your tyres is 1.6 millimetres,
across the central ¾ of the tread around
the complete circumference of the tyre.
For
safety reasons it is recommended that
you replace your tyres before the legal
limit is reached. Many vehicle
manufacturers recommend replacing at 3
millimetres. At 1.6 millimetres in
wet weather it takes an extra car length
(8 metres) to stop at 50 mph than if
your tread was 3 millimetres.
A regular check of your
tyres can help you to avoid
3 penalty points and £2,500
in fines (per tyre) for
having tyres worn beyond the
legal minimum limit on your
vehicle.
It is
also a legal requirement to ensure
that tyres of different construction
types are not fitted to opposite
sides of the same axle. The two main
tyre types are radial and cross-ply,
and these must not be mixed on the
same axle.
Mixing brands and patterns of the
same construction type is
permissible depending on the vehicle
type and manufacturers
recommendation. Check your vehicle's
handbook for tyre fitment details
and options or ask us to look this
up for you.
