Most drivers don’t know if their tyres are legal or not
Thu, 30 Jan 2025
More than 6 in 10 drivers are unaware of the minimum tyre tread depth of 1.6mm allowed by law, research by RAC and charity TyreSafe has found.
What’s more, of those who claimed they knew what the legal limit was, 41% got it wrong when quizzed.
It means that millions of drivers may unknowingly be running at least one dangerous, illegal tyre. This leaves them at risk of three penalty points and a £2500 fine – and that’s per illegal tyre.
Only 16% of drivers were aware that worn tyres could land them with a fine of up to £10k.
And not only do most drivers not know the legal tyre limit, many of them are not checking their tyres full stop. Only 1 in 3 check their tyres monthly, while 1 in 4 admit they only do it "when they remember" or before taking their car for an MoT.
Alarmingly, 5% say they simply wait for their car to fail its MoT before taking action.
Latest official data shows 185 people were killed or seriously injured as a result of illegal or defective tyres in 2023. That’s up a worrying 26% on the previous year.
"Checking tyre tread takes just moments yet doing so has the potential to save lives on the road," says RAC road safety spokesperson Rod Dennis.
Tyre tread depth gauges are cheap and easy to use, but an even lower cost alternative is to take a 20 pence piece and place it in the main groves of each tyre, in several different places. If the outer band of the coin is visible, then there’s a very good chance the tyres are unsafe, illegal, or both.
When asked what would encourage them to check their tyres more often, nearly 1 in 2 drivers said a regular reminder on their in-car display would nudge them into action.
In contrast, 1 in 3 said nothing would get them to change their behaviour, suggesting some drivers simply don’t believe their tyres will ever let them down or become illegal – despite tyre-related issues being one of the top reasons for calling out an RAC patrol.
Last year, the RAC logged a staggering 340,000 tyre-related breakdowns.
"It’s concerning to see some drivers don’t consider the importance of regular tyre checks," said TyreSafe chair Stuart Lovatt.
"We urge all drivers to remember our simple acronym ‘ACT’. By checking your tyres’ air pressure, condition and tread at least once a month – and before any long journey – you can significantly improve your safety on the road and avoid costly incidents."
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