How and when to check tire tread?

Tire tread condition is crucial for the safe driving of any car.

Learn how to check your tire tread to ensure your safety on the road and ensure full compliance with the regulations in force in Poland and other countries where you may be traveling with your vehicle.

Why is checking tire tread important for road safety?

The tire's contact patch with the road is responsible for maintaining proper steering and braking. Failure to maintain the minimum tread depth will have a significant impact on vehicle handling. This may not be noticeable on a smooth, dry, and clean road, but as soon as more challenging conditions arise, the vehicle can lose control completely, making driving a significant risk.

How to check tire tread condition?

There are several basic methods for checking tire tread – both visually for any imperfections or damage, and more or less precise measurements to check whether the minimum tread depth is maintained.

Coin method

If you don't have any measuring tools, you can check your tire tread with a simple 5 złoty coin. This is a fairly common solution, readily used by many drivers. The coin is inserted into the groove in the tread. If the silver section surrounding the darker center is completely hidden within the groove, it means everything is fine and the tread has more than 4 millimeters.

Using tread wear indicators

Most tires have special tread wear indicators. These are called TWIs (Tread Wear Indicators). These are small 1.6-millimeter-high protrusions at the bottom of the tread grooves. It's a good idea to replace your tire as soon as you see them about to touch the road. Some manufacturers also use an even simpler system, using similarly placed numbers to accurately indicate the tire's tread condition. If the number 6 is partially worn, but the number 5 is not yet worn, you know the tread depth is within that range.

Use of specialized measuring instruments

The best and most accurate way to check tire tread depth is with specialized measuring equipment. There are commercially available solutions designed specifically for this purpose. A depth gauge is available at any automotive store, hypermarket, or gas station. It's worth doing this, as it costs around a dozen zlotys and allows for easy, reliable measurement results. You can use a standard caliper just like a depth gauge.

What is the minimum tread depth allowed by law?

Polish law requires a minimum tread depth of at least 1.6 millimeters. This applies to both summer and winter tires. Buses are an exception to this rule, where the regulations stipulate a minimum tread depth of 3 millimeters. Similar regulations apply in most neighboring countries. However, keep in mind that in northern or more mountainous countries, additional tread depth specifications are often found on winter tires. For example:

• 3 millimetres – in Estonia, Norway, Finland, Slovenia, Slovakia and Lithuania;
• 4 millimetres – in Austria, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, Croatia, the Czech Republic and Luxembourg.

When should you replace your tires due to tread condition?

The minimum tread depth required by law is one thing, maintaining the highest level of safety is another, and it is worth replacing tires sooner.

Legal criterion

The law requires tires to be replaced when the minimum tread depth is less than 1.6 millimeters. The condition of the tire tread isn't the only criterion—mechanical damage, tears, cuts, or deformations are also unacceptable.

Manufacturers' recommendations

Tire manufacturers provide their own recommendations to ensure maximum road safety. They recommend replacing tires when tread wear indicators reach 3 millimeters, and in the case of winter tires, 4 millimeters.

Weather and seasonal conditions

New tires have a tread depth of around 8 or even 9 millimeters. As the tread wears down, the tires' water and snow resistance gradually decreases. When a tire reaches the legal minimum tread depth, its performance in difficult conditions can be halved. This means that proper vehicle handling in such situations will be very difficult and could result in a skid, with potentially serious consequences.

What to do if the tread is too worn?

If you have checked the tire tread and decided that it is time to replace the tire, you should do it as soon as possible, these may be very good Barum tires , for example.

Tire replacement

Tire replacement is a task best left to a professional workshop, although some people do it themselves. However, the tire should be balanced and optimized, meaning its optimal position on the rim should be found to reduce uneven weight distribution. Only professional garages offer this service, but after performing this work, your road safety and comfort will be improved, and the risk of premature tire and suspension component wear will be reduced.

Choosing the right tires

To choose tires that fit your car, you need to know their most important parameters, such as:

• tire diameter;
• tire width;
• speed index;
• load capacity index.

The easiest way is to order tires exactly as the manufacturer intended, although of course, the speed or load rating can be higher, ensuring longer tire life. An example of a tire with higher-than-average specifications is the Uniroyal Rainsport 3 .

How to care for your tire tread?

Maintaining your tire tread is crucial, impacting both driving comfort and safety, as well as your finances by allowing you to replace your tires less often. The most important things are:

• maintaining correct tire pressure;
• wheel balancing after changing tires, rims or when any irregularities are noticed;
• setting the correct wheel alignment and axle geometry;
• Eco-driving rules, such as avoiding sudden accelerations and braking, also help reduce tire wear;
• Many people also forget that leaving the vehicle in one position for too long can lead to tire damage.

Regularly check the tread condition

Regularly check both the tread wear indicators and the visual condition of your tires. You can use one of the measurement methods described above or visit a tire shop to have the tire condition assessed. It's also important to inspect your tires yourself if you know of any potential damage, or if you notice any handling issues. While checking your tires, also check that the tire pressure sensors are working properly. If you need to replace them, order a TPMS programmer , which will allow you to easily swap sensors.

Avoiding dangerous driving habits

Many factors related to your driving style contribute to accelerated tire tread wear and overall condition. These include rapid acceleration and sudden braking, as mentioned earlier. There's also the frequent use of parking maneuvers. Spinning the wheels on concrete surfaces, such as in an underground garage, also significantly damages the tread. Parking in the city can also cause serious tire damage by hitting a curb too hard.

Tire care

Proper tire care can significantly extend their lifespan. The most common treatments include tire dressing, which involves applying products that protect the tire from UV radiation and road salt while also improving its appearance. These products are applied only to the sidewall. Of course, tires should be washed regularly, which also helps them maintain their performance for longer.

Where can I get professional help in checking tire tread?

The fastest way to get professional help checking your tire tread and overall condition is at a professional tire repair shop or tire repair shop. If you're changing your summer and winter tires at a reputable dealership, the staff there should also let you know if there's anything wrong with your tires that could affect your vehicle's handling or compliance with regulations. When ordering new tires, focus on reputable manufacturers and top-of-the-line models, such as Bridgestone ER300 tires . This guarantees long-term tire performance.