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IN THE RUBBER
Your tyres could be illegal without you even realising it… & you might run the risk of a £10k fine
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A CAR expert has revealed how your tyres could be illegal without you even realising it, running the risk of a £10,000 fine.
James Lett, technical director at , sat down with The Sun Online to share his top tips for winter driving - including why the famous '20p tyre test' could fail you.
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Many drivers are aware that the minimum legal tread depth for your tyre is 1.6mm, with any less resulting in an MOT failure or potential fine.
But James revealed that this is not the only tread depth requirement under the Highway Code, with a second rule potentially catching Brits out.
He explained: "The limit is 1.6mm but you have to have three-quarters of the tyre at that level.
"If the edges of the tyre are lower, but you still have three-quarters of the tyre at 1.6mm, it's legal.
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"I personally don't agree with that, I personally think that if it's below the legal limit at any stage, it should be changed.
While this may sound like some potentially dangerous tyres are actually slipping through the legal net, James did suggest that it could work the other way.
Asked whether the rules could mean that motorists could find themselves in a situation where part of their tyre is reading at the legal limit, but the tyre as a whole actually doesn't meet the standard he confirmed that this was possible.
For example, if your tyres are wearing badly on the edges due to poor alignment but you are only checking the tread depth at the centre of the tyre, they could be illegal without you knowing it.
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In this way, the classic test using the edge of a 20p piece, which is around 1.6mm, to check the tread could lull you into a false sense of security.
Not only is this a significant safety issue, especially in wet and wintry conditions, but it could also leave you facing a penalty of £2,500 per illegal tyre.
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If your whole set is worn too low, this could mean a total charge of £10,000.
Instead, James recommends using a tyre depth gauge, available from for as little as £3 online, to test the tyre all the way across.
He also advised changing your tyre when any part of it reaches 3mm to save yourself the risk of an MOT failure or fine.
Finally, he urged drivers to keep an eye on their rubber on a regular basis, "especially in the run-up to winter", with frequent checks for significant or uneven wear.
If part of your tyre is wearing more than others, this could be a sign of poor alignment, which you can have checked and corrected professionally.
This can be done at most garages and usually costs around £40.
It comes after a driving instructor claimed that "nearly all" learners have the same issue when negotiating parked cars on the road.
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