Tyre Industry Council Welcomes Tread Depth Research

Published 29th September 2005

Independent braking tests conducted by the Motor Industry Research Association (MIRA) into stopping distances and cornering performance of car tyres on wet road surfaces show conclusively that these deteriorate noticeably well before the end of a tyre's life. As an example, braking tests show that significant increases in stopping distance begin to appear when tread depth falls below 3.5mm. Compared with the reference tyres used in the MIRA test, which had 6.7mm of tread, stopping distances were approximately 16% higher on similar tyres with 3mm of remaining tread and over 60% higher on those with only 1mm.

UK legislation requires a minimum of 1.6mm of remaining tread. This research shows just how important it is that motorists check the tread depth on their tyres regularly as well as pay attention to other safety critical features of their tyres such as pressures and wheel alignment.

The Tyre Industry Council (TIC®) welcomes this research and the information it contains, as an important contribution to road safety.

Tyre tread depth is critical, especially in the wet, and the Tyre Industry Council is pleased that RoadSafe has decided to share the results of these braking tests with the public.

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