Bald tyres are dangerous in many ways. Bald tyres increase the risk of a crash, especially in bad weather. Even on dry roads, bald tyres are more prone to tire failure and more easily punctured. Here you'll find out how to know when your tyres are bald.

New tyres on passenger cars start their life with around 8mm to 9mm of tread depth, and 4WDs can have between 9mm up to 13mm, this depends on the size of the actual tyre. You are legally required to change your tyres when the tread wears down to a minimum of 1.6mm in the groove. This is even if most of your tyre has good tread depth but one section is a that 1.6mm limit, because in the eyes of the law that low tread area could cause your vehicle to lose grip and skid causing an accident. Tyres wear unevenly for a variety of reasons, mis-alignment, faulty brakes, faulty steering components or un-balanced wheels.

As tyres wear, they lose ability to grip and this dramatically worsens when the tread is more than half worn. It is more evident when the roads are wet as the shallow grooves in the tread do not disperse the film of water as well.

You can ensure that your tyres get a long and healthy life by undergoing a simple maintenance regime. Simply drop in to one of our Richard’s Tyrepower stores and ask us to check your tyres!