Tyre Tread Safety Shock

	These new findings are shocking...a change in the law is certainly worth considering - Chris Wakley, Tyre Industry Council

Thousands of accidents a year on Britain’s roads could be prevented if the minimum tyre tread depth is increased by 1.4mm, according to the shock findings of an Auto Express investigation. In the first study of its kind, Auto Express compared how much more quickly a car fitted with tyres that have 3mm of tread left on can halt from 70mph in the wet, as opposed to when the rubber is on the 1.6mm legal limit.

The Auto Express test involved performing an emergency stop while driving along a soaked tarmac test track. The horrifying results show that the state of your car’s tyres can mean the difference between avoiding an obstacle or hitting it at 50mph, at motorway speeds.

Braking performance in the wet drops off significantly once the tyre’s tread level falls below 3mm. The test found it can take a staggering 44 metres - about 10 car lengths - more for a motor to stop at motorway speeds in the rain if its rubber is on the legal limit.

Worryingly, there are plenty of vehicles on our roads that have less than 3mm of tread. A randomly check of 100 cars found 67 had at least one tyre that was below this safety threshold. Government statistics show one in five of the 98,845 serious injuries and fatalities resulting from motoring accidents in wet conditions during 2004 involved cars skidding.

Chris Wakley, from the Tyre Industry Council, a safety organisation supported by manufacturers said: “These new findings are shocking. They show for the first time how dramatic the reduction in braking performance can be between tyres with 3mm and 1.6mm of tread at motorway speeds in the wet. It also indicates that a change in the law is certainly worth considering.”

He continued: “Sadly, most drivers don’t realise how important the condition of their tyres is. They often only find out too late; when they are braking to avoid an obstacle and the car doesn’t stop.”

For the full story, see this month's Auto Express, issue 917, for video footage of the test, click the link below.