Tyre tread depth warning

Business drivers are being urged to check their tyres following a survey revealing that two thirds of motorists are unaware of the legal minimum tread depth.

According to the research, conducted by the road safety charity Brake and recovery service Green Flag, 68% of drivers did not know that the minimum tread depth for cars and vans is 1.6mm.

As a result, millions of motorists could be putting lives at risk and Brake is now lobbying the Government to run a campaign to help educate business drivers.

They would also like to see the police given extra powers to carry out random vehicle safety checks and a rise in the minimum tread depth to 3mm.

A spokesman for the charity is reported as saying that motorists should always check tread depth, tyre pressure and look for any other damage such as bulges and tears on a weekly basis and before long journeys.

The call follow similar advice from the a AA which has specifically warned fleet managers that they risk breaching health and safety law, should their drivers travel with sub-standard tyres.

If employers fail in their duty of care to their drivers, they could face imprisonment or a £20,000 fine, while drivers could rack up three penalty points and a £1,000 fine for each illegal tyre.