Can the Police Fine you for Bad Tyres?

Faulty, worn or damaged tyres can pose a number of serious problems. If left unchecked, bad tyres can cause issues including everything from compromised driving safety to reducing the predicted lifespan of your vehicle, and they can even land you in hot water with the police! 

In the UK, there are strict laws surrounding the conditions of vehicle tyres and their proper maintenance. If you break these laws, the penalties can be extensive. 

To help you understand the legal requirements surrounding tyre conditions in the UK, and ensure your vehicle is fully compliant, we’ve shared our handy tyre tread depth guide below. 

 

Can you be fined for having bad tyres?

Simply put, yes – the police can fine drivers if their vehicle has bad or unsafe tyres.

If you are caught driving a vehicle with tyres that don’t meet the legal standards for tyre conditions (including being damaged, or being below the legal tread depth) then you could incur penalty points to your license, and potentially face a hefty fine. 

Depending on the extent of the issue, you could be penalised with: 

• A fine of up to £2,500, per faulty tyre
• 3 points on your license, per faulty tyre

This means that, if all four of your vehicle’s tyres are bad, then you could be stuck with a £10,000 fine and receive 12 license points (enough to lose your license).

As you can see, it’s critical to keep your tyres well maintained, and to ensure any issues are quickly addressed, before they are allowed to develop to a point where you risk these penalties. 

 

What is the UK’s legal tyre tread depth limit?

For car tyres, the legal minimum tread depth is 1.6mm (across the central ¾ of the tyre’s width, and around the tyre’s full circumference).

However, best practice guidelines recommend that you replace your tyre if its tread depth is below 3mm.

It is also important to note that, when checking your tyres, police and MOT testers will also look for a number of other potential faults. We’ve covered these in more detail below.

 

How do you check the tread depth?

You can quickly check your tyre tread depth at home by following one of these methods. 

1. Use a tread depth gauge

Simply insert the gauge into the tyre’s tread groove, to get a quick and precise measurement.

2. Look at your tread wear indicators

Many tyres come with tread wear indicators. These are small raised bars, positioned inside the grooves. If the indicators sit level with the tyre’s tread surface, then this tells you that your tyre is below the legal tread depth.

3. Use a 20p coin

Take a 20p coin, and insert it into your tyre’s tread grooves. If you can still see the coin’s outer band, then this is an indication that your tread is probably below 3mm, and requires a professional inspection.

 

Signs you need a new tyre

The key signs that it’s time to replace your tyre are:

• It has dropped below the minimum tread depth 
• Excessive vibration when driving
• You feel your vehicle pulling when driving
• Visible cuts or punctures
• Visible cracks 
• Bulges in the sidewall
• Exposed cords
• Uneven wear
• If it is more than 5-6 years old (due to rubber’s natural degradation timeline)

If you aren’t sure whether or not your tyres meet these replacement criteria, then you should arrange for your tyres to be inspected by a professional.

 

At Watling Tyres, we are a leading, independent tyre dealer and autocentre. Not only do we supply dependable, affordable new tyres to suit every vehicle, but we also offer thorough tyre checks, conducted by highly trained professionals. So, if you want to make sure you don’t fall foul of police fines, speak to our team today.