October is Tyre Safety Month!

All vehicles used for work, including hired vehicles, company vehicles, and employee owned vehicles, must be fit for purpose and maintained in a good condition. Having worn tyres can drastically reduce stopping distances, putting you and other road users at risk.

The legal depth for tyre tread is 1.6mm, although many experts recommend 3mm. Having worn tyres may also lead to a £2,500 fine and 3 points on your licence – per tyre!

This means that having 4 worn tyres could lead to a £10,000 fine and losing your licence. The 20p test can be used to quickly check the depth of the tread on your tyres. The outer band on a 20p is about 2mm.

If you cannot see the outer band when you place a 20p in the grooves of your tyres, they are above the legal limit.

If you can see the outer band, it would be a good idea to get in touch with a mechanic to arrange for a more accurate measurement to be taken and/or arrange for a replacement tyre to be fitted.

It is also important to keep an eye on:

• The pressure in your tyres

• The condition of the side walls of your tyres

• Any punctures, splits, or embedded objects in your tyres.