Although it may seem that part-worn tyres are a cheap alternative to replacing the tyres on your car, there is a whole list of dangers which need to be considered when deciding what tyres you’re choosing to use.
The law on part-worn tyres:
There are a number of regulations which need to be followed when selling part worn tyres, these are:
The tyres should be in good condition, with no large cuts in the tread, no bulges and no cords should be visible
They should have at least 2mm of tread across their width and around the circumference
They need to be clearly marked as part worn, which can be seen in upper case letter at least 4mm in height on the sidewalls of the tyre
Tyres must have passed an inflation test prior to sale
However, although the law on part-worn tyres appears easy to follow, many sellers of part-worn tyres do not stick to them. The laws are there to protect those on the road, and breaking them can have serious consequences
Safety issues with part-worn tyres:
The correct tread depth is requiring for safe driving on wet roads, as the tread grooves help to remove water from the contact between the tyre and the road surface – this is needed for effective acceleration and breaking
When the tread depth on the tyre is lower, it is then less effective in removing water from the road, resulting in longer stopping distances
Longer stopping distances reduces road safety and can lead to serious accidents on the road
Investigations and statistics:
TyreSafe, a UK charity which is dedicated to raising awareness on the importance of correct tyre maintenance and the danger of defective and illegal tyres, investigated the sale of part-worn tyres, and their results are as follows:
They purchased 50 part-worn tyres, and found that only one of those were being sold legally, being correctly marked and inspected
The other 49 tyres were not marked correctly, and did not follow the law set out
1/3 of the tyres brought and examined had damaged which resulted in them being unsafe
The investigation TyreSafe conducted shows the danger of buying part-worn tyres. When purchasing these tyres there is no knowledge of their history, and the danger they could be putting you in on the road. Additionally, part-worn tyres are not required to be examined by x-ray for internal structure damage, making it impossible to know whether internal damage exists. Although the tyre may look visually fine, there could be internal issues which will compromise your safety.
In addition to their investigation, TyreSafe also reveal some shocking statistics in regards to part-worn tyres:
94% of the tyres inspected were bring illegally sold
Over 63% of part-worn tyres were unsafe to be on the road
159 people were killed or seriously injured as a result of defective tyre related accidents – annual average in the UK
When it comes to safety on the roads for yourself and other car users there should be no cutting corners. Although possibly cheaper, the dangers which follow with part-worn tyres makes them not worth the money you could possibly save. As TyreSafe have shown in their investigation, many part-worn tyre sellers are complacent with the law and sell tyres which are not safe for road use. When buying tyres, always go to a responsible garage who can provide you with new tyres which you know are safe.
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