How to check your tyres tread depth

It’s important that you know how to check your tyres’ tread depth. After all, the tread depth affects handling and provides grip with the road surface. The deeper it is, the more grip you’ll have.

Uniroyal Wet Braking

Tested by Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH at the test location Contidrom (status: September 2020). Test conditions: 225/45 R 17, PremiumContact™ 6, wet road, from 80  km/h to 0 km/h, temperature 19,8 - 25,6° C. VW Golf 7 1.4 TSI. The graphics shown here are for illustration purposes only. The braking distance of a vehicle depends on its type,  its age, the brakes and the tyres used, as well as the road surface. The full test report is available at www.continental-tires.com/car/tires/test-report-wet-braking-summer  (Source: Continental Reifen Deutschland GmbH)

Optimal depths

A new car tyre begins life with approximately 8-9mm of tread depth. Legally, you can drive on them until they reach a minimum depth of the tread of 1.6 mm, across 75% of the tyre’s width and all around its circumference. However, consider that safe driving in wet and snowy weather conditions is affected by the tread depth, the pattern design and the rubber compound of the tread of your tyres. On wet or snow-covered roads braking performance will progressively decline with lower tread depths. On wet roads there is an additional increased risk of aquaplaning with fading tread depths.

Therefore, check your tyres regularly, reduce your speed on wet and snowy roads and consider replacing your tyres in good time.

Tread depth facts:

  • New tyres have a tread depth of 8-9mm
  • Legal minimum tread depth is 1.6mm
  • Safe driving in wet and snowy weather conditions is affected by the tread depth, the pattern design and the rubber compound of the tread of your tyres.
  • On wet and snow covered roads braking performance will progressively decline with lower tread depths
  • Check your tyres regularly
  • Reduce your speed on wet and snowy roads
  • Consider replacing your tyres in good time
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