Your Monthly Tyre Safety Routine
Your tyres are the only contact point between your vehicle and the road, yet most drivers never check them between garage services. A monthly tyre safety check takes less than 5 minutes and could save your life. Here's exactly what to look for.
Start with a visual inspection of all four tyres and the spare. Walk around the car and look for obvious damage: cuts, bulges, cracks, or embedded objects like nails and screws. Pay particular attention to the sidewalls — any bulging, cracking, or bubbling indicates the tyre is structurally compromised and must be replaced immediately. Do not drive on a tyre with a sidewall bulge.
Checking Tread Depth
Insert a 20p coin into the main tread grooves. If you can see the outer band of the coin, your tread depth is below 2mm and approaching or below the legal limit of 1.6mm. Check in several grooves around the full circumference and across the width of the tyre — uneven tread wear indicates alignment or pressure issues that need addressing.
Most tyres have built-in tread wear indicators — small raised bars set at 1.6mm in the base of the main grooves. When the tread surface is level with these bars, you're at the legal minimum and replacement is essential.
Checking Tyre Pressure
Check pressures when the tyres are cold — before your first journey of the day, or after a rest of at least 2 hours. Use a digital gauge or the forecourt gauge at a petrol station. Your correct pressures are in the owner's manual or the door sticker. Don't forget to check the spare. If you're unsure about any aspect of your tyre condition, call Slick Mobile Tyres and we'll come and inspect them at your location.
- Check visually for bulges, cracks, and embedded objects monthly
- Use the 20p test for tread depth
- Check pressures cold, monthly
- Uneven wear = alignment issue — get it checked