A simple monthly tyre safety check takes just five minutes but could save your life. Use this tyre safety checklist to keep your tyres in legal, safe condition on UK roads.
Spending five minutes on a basic tyre inspection each month is one of the simplest and most effective ways to keep your vehicle safe and legal. Work through this checklist on all four tyres — and your spare if you carry one.
Tread depth: Check with a 20p coin or tread depth gauge. Minimum legal depth is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre. Consider replacing at 3mm for improved wet weather safety. Tyre pressure: Check and adjust to the manufacturer's recommended pressures. Do this when the tyres are cold.
Inspect the full circumference of each tyre for cuts, bulges, cracks, or embedded objects such as nails or screws. Pay particular attention to the sidewalls, as damage here can compromise the structural integrity of the tyre. Any bulge or bubble in the sidewall means the tyre must be replaced immediately — do not drive on it.
Check the tyre age by looking at the four-digit DOT date code on the sidewall — for example, 1524 means the tyre was manufactured in the 15th week of 2024. Tyres over five years old should be inspected annually by a professional even if they appear fine.
If your inspection reveals a tyre below the legal limit, a damaged sidewall, a slow puncture or a tyre that is overdue for replacement, do not delay. Continuing to drive on unsafe tyres puts you, your passengers and other road users at risk — and could result in an MOT failure, a fine, or penalty points.
Contact Tech Mobile Tyres for fast, professional tyre inspection and replacement at your home or workplace across Liverpool, Glasgow, Newcastle, Sunderland and Dundee. Available 24 hours a day.
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