When Should You Replace Your Tyres? Tread Depth, Age and the Warning Signs UK Drivers Miss
Written by the team at Tyre Repair Near Me — mobile tyre fitting across Glasgow and surrounding areas. Most drivers replace their tyres only after a puncture or a failed MOT. That is understandable, but it means many cars spend months driving on tyres that have quietly stopped doing their job properly. Tyres do not usually fail all at once. They wear down gradually, lose grip in the wet, and take longer to stop — often without any obvious drama from the driver's seat. Knowing what to check, and how often, takes five minutes and can make a real difference to safety. Start with tread depth In the UK, the legal minimum tread depth for cars is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre. That is the law, not a recommendation for good performance. Wet grip drops off sharply once tread falls below 3mm, because the grooves can no longer clear water effectively and the risk of aquaplaning rises. Check tread with a 20p coin: place it in the main grooves, and if the outer band of th...