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You need good tyres to drive safely. They affect the
steering, braking and acceleration of your vehicle.
Faulty tyres work less efficiently and don't last as long; they could also mean
a heavy fine and penalty points on your licence.
The law
It's against the law to have:
• Car tyres with tread worn to below 1.6mm;
• A mix of radial and cross ply tyres;
• Over or under-inflated tyres;
• Tyres with cuts, lumps, bulges or tears;
• The wrong sort of tyre fitted to a vehicle or trailer.
Safety standards
All new tyres must meet European standards for load/speed performance, shown by
an 'E' or 'e' mark on the sidewall.
All retread tyres supplied in the UK must comply with the British Standard
AU144e, and be marked with this number. This proves they have been thoroughly
tested and meet the same performance standards as new tyres.
Only buy second-hand tyres if they are marked 'part-worn' next to the E or BS
mark, to show they have been properly checked for faults.
Checking tread depth
Most tyres have tread wear indicators, usually six or more small ribs across the
bottom of the main tread grooves. When the tread surface is level with these
ribs, the tyre needs to be replaced.
Checking tyre pressures
Look in your handbook or consult your garage or tyre dealer for the recommended
pressures for your vehicle.
You should check the pressure at least every two weeks, and only when the tyres
are cold. Even a short trip to the local garage will warm up the tyre and raise
the pressure.
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