A quick and easy way to check if your tread exceeds the legal minimum tread depth is the 20p test. Therefore, driving with worn or damaged tires for an extended period of time now reflects malicious intent. If you do this, not only are you risking your own life, but you are also endangering other drivers around you. If you drive with tyres that do not comply with Irish tyre legislation, you risk that all drivers are responsible for ensuring that their tyres are roadworthy. When buying new tires, always make sure that the tread depth is 2mm or more. There was evidence of an apparently better level of coverage in urban areas. R&R Tyres in Ballincollig, Co Cork, and BestDrive in Swords, Co Dublin, reported figures of 40% and 18% replaced tyres at or below the legal tread depth, respectively. With increasing tire wear, the tread depth decreases, to the point where it is at eye level with the TWI. For Continental tyres, there are two sets of TWI – at 3mm (top, right – the recommended depth for changing tyres) and at 1.6mm (top, left – the minimum Irish road traffic). This means that people have been driving with dangerous tires for a long time. You risk penalty points and fines under regulations for defective or worn tires. Shocking new figures show that many drivers drive with dangerous tyres. The tire is the only part of the vehicle that adheres to the road and, therefore, the tread depth of your tire is very important for safety.
Tread grooves drain water from the tire`s contact area with the road, so driving at shallow tread depths increases the risk of aquaplaning. A shallow tread depth also increases the likelihood of tire damage and can reduce grip in winter weather conditions. A 2017 survey found that the majority of motorists surveyed – 69% – were unaware of the minimum legal tread depth of tyres in Ireland. Do you know him? If not, you should. Your tires play an important role in ensuring you stay in control of your vehicle, especially when it comes to braking and cornering in the rain. If your tread depth isn`t deep enough, your tires simply can`t give you the grip you need to ride safely. And that means an increased risk of having an accident. Simply place a 20p piece in the main tread grooves of each tire.
If the outer strip of your 20p is covered during insertion, your profile will be above the legal limit. You can check the tread depth of your tire by holding a €1 coin in the center of the wheel, as shown. If the gold part of the part is not visible, the tread of the tire is correct. However, if it is visible, your tire could be approaching the legal minimum depth, so you should have it checked. Despite the seasonal distinction, you can use any of these types of tires at any time of the year. Summer tyres are lighter than their two rubber cousins, and although they are the most common type of tyre in Ireland, you may want to invest in a heavy tyre if you drive more over the course of a year. Storing tires after the season and changing them every year is a great way to get your tires running if you live in an area with particularly diverse weather conditions. If you have any of the above tools, follow the instructions and check the depth in the grooves in several places on the tire. Measure all four tires, as they must all be roadworthy.
It is recommended that during the 20p test you check at least 3 places around each tire. The tread is the part of the tire that comes into contact with the road under normal conditions. You can measure tread depth with a special profile gauge, an easy-to-use portable device. Find them here. Your car tires experience considerable friction for several years. To stay safe on the road, your tyres must comply with Irish tyre laws. Keeping the tires in good condition will keep you safer on the road. If you drive without sufficient tread depth, your tires may not function properly in wet conditions. This reduces your safety on the road.
It is therefore advisable to consider replacing your tires before they reach the legal minimum. Advance Pitstop`s latest analysis shows that an alarming number of vehicles on our roads are driving with severely dangerous or defective tyres. Tire alignments protect your tires in the long run, save money, and ensure you and other drivers are safe on the road. When you take your car to the garage, ask a professional if it`s the right time to spin and inflate your tires again. You don`t need to know how to change tires to notice when your tires need to be turned. If you don`t have as much gas as you used to, or if your car is wobbling on the road, talk to your mechanic. From 2003, road traffic regulations (construction and use of vehicles) set requirements for the condition of tires and treads of cars. These regulations were introduced because legislators wanted drivers on the road to take more responsibility for their own safety and that of other motorists. This content is provided for general information purposes only. It does not provide legal or technical advice and does not constitute a legal interpretation of the matters it deals with, nor does it intend to do so. He denounced the “deplorable” disregard for tire safety rules among a significant proportion of motorists.
Thanks to the €1 test, you can easily and quickly perform a regular check of the tread depth of your tires to ensure that you are not illegal and risk a fine and penalty points. Most importantly, running the test regularly will help ensure that the tires mounted on your car give you the grip you need to keep your driver and your passengers and passengers safe. At BestDrive by Continental, we consider this minimum depth to be too low and are actively committed to increasing this tread depth to 3 mm. What for? At this stage of tread depth, independent tests have conclusively shown that a tyre`s grip deteriorates rapidly and the driver is at increased risk of an accident. If you don`t have a gauge, you can visually check the tread depth of the tire. Most tires have tread wear indicators and if the tread is worn at the same level as the turn signals, the tire is at the legal limit and needs to be replaced. This should not be reset until the tire pressure is correct. You should contact the manufacturer or read the user manual before resetting the user. Justin Glynn, director of Advance Pitstop at Dundrum, said Irish drivers often don`t know they`re playing a dangerous game with tyre safety. Employees processed hundreds of tires with legal tread depths of less than 1.6 mm at almost every outlet.
Driving with tires below the legal minimum requirement is dangerous and puts you and other drivers at risk.