Are your tyres legal?
Worn, incorrectly inflated or damaged tyres are illegal. Driving with illegal tyres puts you at risk. Tyres are responsible for braking distance and traction on the road, therefore safety can also be compromised.
Tyres and the law
The law requires all vehicles using UK roads, be fitted with the correct size and type of tyre for the vehicle, have all tyres inflated to their recommended tyre pressure and ensure a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm.
Tyre integrity also impacts handling, stability, comfort and fuel economy. Damaged or low pressure tyres will use more fuel, costing you more money and increasing CO2 emissions.
How to check your tyres?
Tread:
Tyre tread is designed to create grip and displace water. It comprises of the pattern of grooves along the surface of the tyre.
You can use a tyre tread gauge or 20 pence coin to check your tyre tread is within the legal limit of 1.6mm. Ensure your car is parked in a safe place where you are able to check each tyre. If using a gauge place it between the grooves, taking the reading from the central third of the tread, if it reads over 1.6mm the car is safe to drive.
If using a 20 pence coin perform the same procedure, but use the border around the outside edge of the coin as a guide. If this is not visible the tyre is legal to drive on. If the coin doesn’t go deep enough into the tread the tyre will be illegal. If this is the case, you should get your tyres checked or replaced as soon as possible.
It’s important to test at least 3 points on each tyre when you are checking your tread depth. Also, make sure to check your tread at least once a month or every week to ensure they are always above the legal depth.
Although the legal limit is 1.6mm, tyre efficiency is highly reduced when the tread is below 3mm, especially in wet conditions when stopping distance is increased. It is therefore advised that tyres are replaced before they reach the legal limit.
Tyre pressure:
Not only is tyre pressure important because it is a legal requirement, it also improves handling and fuel consumption of the vehicle.
Each vehicle has a specified tyre pressure, front and back tyres require different amounts of air pressure, this will be made clear on the sticker which can be found inside the door frame of the car or the car manuals provided by the car manufacturer/dealer.
Under-inflated tyres can negatively impact their speed and load capacity, wear rate and fuel consumption. Ultimately, you need properly inflated tyres for them to perform correctly. Like your tread depth, it is recommended to check your tyre pressure every week or before any long journeys. If you have a newer car, it is likely that it will be fitted with a TPMS (Tyre Pressure Monitoring System) which will alert you to any changes in air pressure.
Damage and wear
It is important to regularly check your tyres for any slits, tears, bulges or areas which are particularly worn as this could be an indication that there is an issue with the vehicle, for example the wheels need re-aligning. You should check your tyres’ condition, tread and pressure regularly, so you can spot any potential problems early. If you do find you need new tyres, you can contact us and we will come to your door step to provide you mobile tyre fitting service.
Select your tyres
For selecting your tyres you need to contact us via phone or email whichever is convenient for you and we can arrange our trained staff to come to you to fit your tyres on location of your choice.
What you need to do on your appointment
Once you have placed your order, on your appointment day all you need to do is park the vehicle at safe and convenient place where our tyre fitters can fit the tyre safely, and keep the locking wheel nut key in the vehicle at visible place, our team member will fit your new tyres and dispose of your old ones.
