Tyger himself identified that as a young driver it can be really easy to forget the importance of your own safety and the safety of your vehicle, most specifically your car tyres. He urges young drivers to regularly check their tyre pressure, condition and tread depth.
The interview
The interview, in collaboration with InGenie, young driver car insurance provider, was presented by Tyger and included two young drivers, Chris and Maya to talk about the importance of tyre safety. Chris has been driving for three years and Maya is still learning. Both interviewees consider themselves good, competent drivers, but Tyger wanted to find out how much they know specifically about tyres.
He then speaks to Jordan King, British Formula 3 Champion to get the expert’s advice on tyre safety.
What is the legal minimum tread depth for your tyres?
The correct answer is, of course, 1.6mm. Jordan King said “The minimum legal tread depth on a tyre is 1.6 mm. Anything less than that and you won’t have enough grip on the road.”
Chris and Maya were both incorrect, Chris guessing at 2mm and Maya unable to answer.
What is the legal minimum tread depth for your tyres?
The correct answer is a 20p piece. Jordan King said “A very quick and easy way to check your tread depth is to take a 20 pence piece. Simply slot it into the grooves and the tyre should at least cover the outer rim of the coin. If it doesn’t you need to seek professional advice from a tyre fitter.”
You can find guidance on this test here https://www.tyresafe.org/20p-test/. Again, both interviewees were incorrect.
How often would you do these tyre checks?
The correct answer is once a month and before long journeys. Jordan King continued “Finally, you should check the tyre pressures. You should do this once a month or before any long journey. If they are incorrect your tyres could overheat and fail. Also, your fuel bills will be higher and the tyre wear will be massively increased. “
Maya guessed at once a year and Chris every six to seven months!
What is the biggest fine you think you could get for having badly maintained tyres?
If you have badly maintained tyres, you could get 3 penalty points and a fine of up to £2,500 per tyre. So, in total, you could face a £10,000 bill.
Maya and Chris were both wrong again!