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October is Tyre Safety Month

Dozens of lives could be saved and hundreds of accidents avoided in the UK each year for just 20p, according to TyreSafe as it launches October's Tyre Safety Month. Throughout the month hundreds of garages across the country are encouraging car and van drivers to check the depth of their tyre tread by using a 20p coin, to ensure they stay safe and legal.

The 'lifesaver in your pocket' campaign encourages drivers to insert a 20p coin into the main grooves of the tyre to check the tread depth.

• Ideally, tyre tread depth should be checked at least once a month at the same time you check your tyre pressure.
• If you do not have a calibrated tread depth gauge, a 20p coin provides a useful guide.
• Insert the 20p coin into the main tyre grooves at several places around the circumference of the tyre and across its width.
• If the outer band of the 20p coin is visible whenever you check the tread, your tread depth may be illegal and you should have your tyres checked by a specialist.
• When checking your tread depth, give the rest of the tyres a visual inspection for cuts or bulges and remove any stones or objects embedded in the tread.

“As we move into the wettest months of the year, adequate tyre tread depth is a critical element of road safety,” explains Stuart Jackson, the chairman of TyreSafe.  “The 'lifesaver in your pocket' campaign gives drivers an incredibly easy way to check their tread depth, which will help them stay safe and on the right side of the law.”

Current UK law states that tyre tread on cars and vans must be at least 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tread, around its entire circumference.  Drivers face a fine of up to £2,500 and three penalty points for each illegal tyre.

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