See all Motoring AdviceTyres are your car’s only point of contact with the road, so it’s vital that they’re kept in good condition. Poorly maintained tyres can, at best, leave you with a fine and penalty points or struggling to change a wheel on a rainy night; at worst, they can cause a blowout or loss of grip resulting in a serious accident.
The tread on your tyres is designed in such a way as to provide the maximum amount of grip during cornering or braking. Another important aspect of tread is that it helps disperse water in such a way as to minimise the effect of aquaplaning or the vehicle losing control due to surface water. Age and use can wear the tread down to such a point that it no longer performs as it should, which runs the risk of your car losing control during cornering, braking or when encountering unexpected surface water. It is essential that motorists check their tread depth regularly as maintaining your tyres in good condition is a legal requirement.
What is the minimum tyre tread depth in Ireland?
The minimum legal tyre tread depth for cars in Ireland is 1.6mm. For motorcycles and vintage cars, the limit is 1mm.
How do you check your tyre tread depth?
Place a one-euro coin in the grooves of the tyres; if the raised rubber parts aren’t higher than the outer gold band of the coin then your tyres are below the legal requirement and must be replaced immediately. It’s worth checking tread depth at different points around the surface of the tyre to account for uneven wear.
What do unevenly worn tyres mean?
Uneven tyre wear can be caused by a wide range of factors including underinflation, overinflation, worn suspension, improper wheel alignment or habitual heavy cornering. The harder you corner, the more your tyres are going to be worn on the outside, which may eventually result in a sudden loss of grip even if the rest of the tyre looks fine. When having your tyres replaced or car serviced, it’s worth having the wheel alignment (tracking) checked and, if necessary, corrected; misaligned wheels can cause the car to wander as well as resulting in unevenly worn tyres. Suspension components can also wear due to use and if badly worn parts aren’t replaced during servicing they may result in uneven tyre wear and even an NCT failure.
What else do I need to check?
Check your tyre pressure regularly. Pressure gauges are easily bought and inexpensive, though any service station with an air pump will also have one. The correct tyre pressure for your car will be found in the owner handbook (or on the car itself – on a door jamb or within the fuel filler flap) and the pressures for the front and rear tyres may be different. Properly inflated tyres mean that tyre wear will likely be more evenly distributed. Don’t forget to check your spare wheel as the last thing you want following a puncture is to discover your spare is flat too.
As well as tread and pressure, check the rest of the tyre, especially the sidewall for any bulges or cracks as these can be a sign that there’s something terribly wrong with the tyre and it may be unsafe for use.
When to replace tyres
Tyres must be replaced if the tread goes below the minimum requirement or if there are any other serious defects. Under normal conditions the front tyres on a front-wheel-drive car should last over 30,000km, while the rear ones can potentially manage double that. There are a lot of factors that affect that number of course, including your driving style and the quality of the tyre fitted.
What are the penalties for bald or defective tyres in Ireland?
The penalty for bald or defective tyres in Ireland is two penalty points and an €80 fine. This rises to four points if the case goes to court and €120 if the fine isn’t paid within 28 days.
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