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Current UK legislation requires that car tyres must have a minimum of 1.6mm of tread in a continuous band throughout the central ¾ of the tread width and over the whole circumference of the tyre.
To help drivers identify when their tyres are getting close to the legal limit, tyres are manufactured with tread wear indicators in the grooves (pictured below).
However, despite the law, it is universally recognised in the tyre industry that the legal limit is wholly insufficient to protect drivers in adverse driving conditions.
Drivers are therefore recommended to consider replacing their tyres when the tread depth reaches 3mm.
