Understanding the Fine for Bald Tyres: A Comprehensive Guide
Tyres start life looking shiny and new with deep treads for clearing surface water and giving you plenty of grip on the road. However, over time they lose rubber, causing them to wear down.
Tyres will usually last several thousand miles before requiring replacement. However, you will eventually need to change them as the tread becomes shallower. In the UK, you must replace tyres before they fully wear. If you don’t, the police could issue you a fine.
Understanding the Fine for Bald Tyres
The fine for bald tyres is meant to incentivise people to change the tyres on their vehicles. Leaving them running is a road hazard for drivers and other road users. Cars with worn tyres have less control in wet conditions, longer stopping distances, and a higher risk of mechanical failure. Fortunately, MOT testing usually identifies bald (or nearly-worn) tyres in advance. Many shops will offer to change them there and then, while others will direct you to another garage.
If your tyres are worn (according to the legal definition), your vehicle will fail its MOT and you won’t be able to drive it. Mechanics won’t fine you for showing up to the shop with bald tyres, but the law prevents them from releasing your vehicle until you replace them. Most people need to change their tyres once every 20,000 miles or so. However, this can vary according to driving style. In terms of time, this means the average car driver needs to replace their tyres every two to five years (depending on mileage).
Unfortunately, even if you don’t use your tyres, you still need to replace them every six to ten years. That’s because rubber can “perish,” meaning it loses its flexible, road-gripping qualities and becomes more prone to blowouts.
What is the Fine for a Bald Tyre?
In the UK, running bald tyres has a fine of up to £2,500 per wheel. Thus, running all four tyres bald could lead to a whopping £10,000 fine. These penalties are among the most severe for driving because of the risks running a vehicle with bald tyres brings. The financial and human costs of an accident can be high, so fines for negligence attempt to equal them.
Points System: Penalty for Bald Tyres
The UK runs a points system for bald tyres. However, it works differently from how most drivers expect. Police will issue three penalty points on your licence for each bald tyre on your car. If all four tyres are bald, they will apply 12 points (disqualifying you from driving).
How Often Should You Replace Your Tyres?
How often you replace your tyres depends on various factors. These determine how rapidly the rubber wears away. You may need to replace your tyres sooner if:
1. You Have Soft Tyres
Some types of rubber wear away faster than others. Therefore, you might need to replace your tyres more often if they are soft or sporty tyres. These provide more grip but at the expense of durability.
2. You Drive On Rough Roads
Rough roads can affect tyre life substantially. Driving over gravel or uneven surfaces with potholes can cause larger chunks of rubber to wear from the tyre’s surface.
3. You Are Using Tyres Out Of Season
Using tyres out of season leads to higher wear because of the suboptimal conditions. For example, winter tyres wear out faster on dry summer roads.
4. You Drive Aggressively
Driving aggressively subjects tyres to more friction with the road. This process removes more rubber, decreasing the tread depth. Spinning the wheels wears them faster, as does heavy braking.
How To Tell If You Need To Replace Your Tyres
Some tyres have helpful markings showing you when you need to replace them. These become more visible over time, warning you the tyre’s life is nearly over. However, even if your tyres don’t change colour, you can still use an accurate rule to measure the tread depth. The legal threshold in the UK is 1.6mm across three-quarters of the tyre. Sometimes you will find some parts of the tread are more worn than others. If you’re right on the edge, just replace the tyre. It might be dangerous and you could get a large fine.
How To Replace Bald Tyres
You can get mobile tyre fitting in London to replace bald tyres. These services go to your location, eliminating the need to make a dangerous journey to your local shop. Plus, you can avoid all that heavy city traffic – it’s a win-win.
