Make sure your tyre tread depth is safe and legal with the €1 test
As Ireland’s leading tyre experts, BestDrive by Continental have unrivalled experience of providing the nation’s motorists with the essential tyre safety advice that helps to keep them safe on the road. At the heart of our beliefs is the important role that good tyre tread depth plays, and its significance in maintaining driver safety.
A survey undertaken in 2017 revealed that the majority of motorists questioned – 69% – didn’t know the road legal minimum tyre tread depth in Ireland. Do you know it? If not, you should. Your tyres play a vital role in ensuring you can maintain control of your vehicle, especially when it comes to braking and cornering when it’s raining. If your tread depth isn’t good enough, your tyres simply won’t be able to provide you with the level of grip you need to drive safely. And that means an increased chance of having an accident.
If you haven’t previously given it much thought, and are not familiar with the importance of your tyre tread depth, please take a moment to read our latest tyre safety article. It not only outlines how to avoid the risk of a fine and penalty points on your licence if you’re caught with treads under the legal minimum, but also provides you with a quick, easy to implement tyre tread depth checking process – the €1 test.
Having good tyre treads is vital
But first, some background on tyre treads. For the unfamiliar, they’re the grooves that go all the way around your tyres. They’re there to remove any water that’s on the road, enabling your car to grip the surface. Without these treads you’d really struggle to safely control your vehicle, particularlly when attempting to corner or brake. The simple fact is that the more tread depth your tyres have, the more water can be cleared from the road, and the better grip you’ll have. As a result, your stopping distances will be shorter, and that means you can brake safer.
When you buy brand new tyres from BestDrive by Continental, they typically come with 8 mm of tread.
But over time – depending on how you drive, and how often – the tread depth will reduce, affecting its ability to grip the road. Tyre experts, like leading premium tyre manufacturer, Continental, recommend that when your treads are down to 3 mm, you should replace your tyres as soon as possible. This is despite the Irish legal tyre tread depth mimimum of 1.6 mm.
At BestDrive by Continental, we believe this minimum depth is too low, and we’re actively campaigning to have this tread depth level increased to 3 mm. Why? Because at this point of the tread depth’s erosion, independent testing has conclusively shown that a tyre’s ability to grip rapidly deteriorates, exposing drivers to an increased risk of accident.
So how can you stay road legal, ensure you know what your tread depths are, and know when it’s time to replace your tyres? Some manufacturers, like Continental, incorporate Tread Wear Indicators (TWI) into their tyres. These are always visible, but set below the level of the original 8 mm of tyre tread.
As tyre wear takes place, the tread depth reduces, ultimately to the point when it’s level with the TWI. On Continental tyres, there are two sets of TWI – at 3 mm (above, right – the recommended depth to change your tyres) and at 1.6 mm (above, left – the Irish road legal minimum).
The quick and easy €1 test
And then there’s the €1 test. This ingenious method of checking your tyre tread depth is very handy and easy to do at any time, without the need for a tyre tread depth gauge. We suggest you keep a coin in your car at all times. To do the test, simply place the coin in the tyre tread, across multiple points along its length. If you can see the outer band on the coin face at any point, it means the tread is too shallow – and illegal. It’s not just time to think about replacing your tyres, it’s essential you do so immediately.
Thanks to the €1 test, you can easily and quickly maintain a regular check on your tyre tread depths, ensuring you aren’t illegal and at risk of a fine and penalty points. But, more importantly, doing the test regularly will help ensure that the tyres fitted to your car can provide you with the grip you need to maintain your driver safety, and that of your passengers and fellow motorists.
Want to chat about tyre tread depth? Talk to BestDrive by Continental
If you’d like to know more about tyre tread depth, it’s importance, and how to ensure you stay road legal, please speak to your local tyre professionals at BestDrive. Our expert, experienced team can provide you with impartial tyre advice, fitting solutions, and the right tyres for your car. You can find your local BestDrive branch at the top of this page.
BestDrive by Continental – You drive, we care.