The study found two in three drivers have no idea what the minimum tyre tread depth for their vehicle is.
This means around 22 million drivers cannot check their car meets basic safety standards – a shocking statistic given the dangerous road conditions of winter.
Worn tyres mean stopping distances are increased and the chance of accidents goes up. Independent tests on wet roads using a car travelling at 50mph found:
- On 8mm depth, stopping distance = 25.9 metres
- On 3mm depth, stopping distance = 31.7 metres
- On 1.6mm depth, stopping distance = 39.5 metres
The minimum legal tyre tread depth is 1.6mm for cars and vans, although Brake says anything less than 3mm can be dangerous in wet or icy weather.
Jools Townsend, head of education at Brake, said many drivers were too reliant on their annual MOT and service and unaware of the deterioration that occurs to their vehicle over the course of a year.
“Tyre tread is such an easy thing to check, yet failure to do so puts drivers, passengers and other road users in danger of death or injury,” he said.
“We are calling on drivers to be vigilant about the condition of their tyres and check them on a weekly basis this winter and throughout the year.
“The Government must invest in a televised public education campaign so drivers know how to ensure their tyres are fit for the road.”