Tyre Safety Month: How to Check If Your Tyres Are Safe

When was the last time you checked your tyres? Good tyre health means better grip, improved handling, shorter braking distances, and, most importantly, a safer journey for you and everyone else on the road. Plus, staying on top of tyre maintenance can save you from fines or penalty points.

Tyre Safety Month, held annually in October, is a campaign aimed at raising awareness about tyre safety as we head into the colder months. As weather conditions change, this is the perfect time to focus on tyre maintenance.

Regular tyre checks help ensure that worn or under-inflated tyres don’t affect your vehicle’s overall performance or safety. By keeping your tyres in top condition, you protect yourself, your passengers, and other road users.

Around 45% of a typical car tyre is made from rubber, including both natural and synthetic types. The rest is made up of materials like steel wires for strength and textile fabrics (such as polyester or nylon) for flexibility and durability. Other compounds, including carbon black and silica, are added to enhance grip, wear resistance, and overall performance.

Although many people assume tyres are made entirely of rubber, they’re actually far more complex. Understanding what goes into a tyre is a helpful reminder of why regular checks are so important for your safety on the road.

Tyres also have a series of numbers and letters on their sidewalls that tell you everything you need to know about their size, weight capacity, and speed rating. For example, in 205/55 R16 91V:

• 205 - tyre width in millimetres

• 55 - aspect ratio (height as a percentage of width)

• R16 - rim diameter in inches

• 91 - load index, showing how much weight the tyre can safely carry

• V - speed rating, indicating the maximum speed the tyre can handle when fully loaded

Knowing these codes is useful if you ever need to get your tyres replaced. When you take your vehicle somewhere for a professional check, they may ask for these numbers so the correct tyres can be ordered and fitted, keeping your vehicle safe and performing at its best.

Around the edge of each tyre, you’ll find grooves moulded into the design. These prevent the tyres from being a flat surface. If tyres were completely flat, they would simply rest on the road rather than create any meaningful grip, which can be particularly dangerous, especially when driving in winter.

In the UK, the legal minimum tread depth is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre’s width and around its entire circumference. Driving on tyres below this limit is not only dangerous but also illegal, potentially resulting in fines, penalty points on your licence, and reduced vehicle safety.

Regularly checking your tread depth ensures your tyres meet the legal requirements and helps maintain top performance on the road.

Typically, tread patterns are symmetrical, but there are other designs too. Each has its own benefits, allowing you to choose the one that best suits your driving style:

• Symmetrical - For smooth & steady driving
• Asymmetrical - For driving at high speeds & snowy conditions
• Directional - For good handling & driving in wet conditions

Many drivers also choose all-season tyres, which combine features of summer and winter tyres to offer balanced performance in varied UK weather.

It’s important to keep an eye on your tyre pressure as an overinflated tyre can suffer increased wear. This is due to less rubber from the tyre being in contact with the road, which not only causes wear in a more concentrated area but can also affect your stopping distance.

‘Bald tyres’ is the term used to describe tyres that have little to no tread, worn away from wear and tear. With no tread, they’re unable to create any friction, which would otherwise allow them to grip the road, making them extremely unsafe.

Bald tyres are illegal, so it’s important to replace them as soon as you notice significant wear, or if it’s pointed out during a service, MOT or Vehicle Health Check.

You can carry out simple tyre checks at home to identify potential issues early. It only takes a few minutes to inspect your tyres and ensure they are in good condition.

Check Tyre Pressure

Use a tyre pressure gauge to measure the air pressure in each tyre. You can find the recommended pressure in your vehicle’s manual or the sticker inside the driver’s door, inflating or deflating the tyres as needed.

Inspect Tyre Depth 

Use a tread depth gauge or perform the ‘20p coin test’. Insert a 20p coin into the tread grooves; if the outer band is hidden, your tread is above the legal limit. You can also check the tread wear indicators, small raised bars inside the grooves, which show when a tyre needs replacing.

Look for Visible Damage

Check for any cuts, cracks, bulges, or punctures on the tyre’s sidewall or tread. Any visible damage may mean the tyre needs to be replaced.

Check for Uneven Wear 

Uneven wear, particularly on the inner or outer edges of the tyre, could indicate issues with alignment, suspension, or tyre pressure.

Inspect Valve Caps

Make sure all valve caps are securely fastened to help prevent air leaks. 

Check the Spare Tyre 

If your vehicle has a spare tyre, ensure it's properly inflated and free from any visible damage. 

At JCT600 we offer free tyre checks to help you stay safe on the road. Just let us know when works best for you and we’ll get your tyre safety check booked in. For more information on tyre and general car maintenance, keep an eye on our latest news which we regularly update with helpful guides.

Alternatively, explore the range of cars and vans we have available or get in touch if you have any queries.

Remember to check your tyres at least once a month and before a long journey - don’t get caught out!