Over the last few years, used and part-worn tyres have attracted much media attention and debate about the hazards they pose to drivers’ safety.
Despite the warnings of these dangers, part-worn tyres are still being sold and, even worse, motorists are still buying them. However, what isn’t being made clear to the public is that the majority of these tyres are being sold illegally and a large number of them have a dangerous level of damage.
Well, as the name suggests, part-worn tyres are secondhand tyres which have been used by another driver before. So, before they have even been fitted to your car, they already have a diminished tread depth and you are guaranteed a shorter lifespan and compromised performance – especially in wet weather. This will lead to issues with road traction, steering capability, control and safe cornering at higher speeds.
According to UK law, the required minimum tyre tread is 1.6mm. Anything under this leaves you liable to fines of up to £2,500 and three penalty points PER TYRE. If all four tyres are illegal, that’s a potential fine of £10,000 and a risk of losing your licence.
Sure, part-worn tyres are initially cheaper and can seem like a shortcut to getting premium brand tyres on a budget. However, this gap in cost will slowly start to close as the tyres are used, and down the line you could actually run into problems which will end up costing you more than a new set of tyres.
That’s why we recommend looking at your tyres as an investment – for the sake of your safety, your passengers’ safety and the safety of other road users.
Time to ditch the ditch-finders in favour of a full set of Tom Contis.
I suspect nobody has ever referred to @ContiUK tyres as that before.
In other news, no water in the boot and a condensation-free rear window for the first time. I am a drainage channel king. pic.twitter.com/d6pOl8W56I
— Gavin Big-Surname (@MajorGav) January 7, 2020
Choosing a premium brand such as Bridgestone not only ensures better performance, but a more reliable and long-lasting tyre. One of our favourites for 2020 is the Potenza RE050A. As one of Bridgestone’s best-selling tyres, this summer tyre offers smooth driving and accurate handling.
This particular tyre has an optimised tread for wet road driving, with internal twin steel belts to reinforce the tread. It’s also available in a range of sizes to fit most vehicles.
Whether you choose this or any other tyre from Asda tyres, you’ll be sure to get a high-quality, durable tyre with a long lifespan to save you money in the long run.
This post was brought to you in collaboration with Bridgestone Tyres.