Tyre Checks Before You Head Off This Summer

Whether you’re driving to the airport, loading up for a road trip abroad, or heading off on a UK staycation, your tyres do more work on a getaway than an ordinary week of driving. Fully loaded and covering motorway miles, it’s easy to overlook them while you’re busy packing. A few minutes checking your tyres before you go can save you a breakdown on the hard shoulder or a foreign motorway.

Tread Depth: Check It Before You Load Up

The legal minimum tread depth in the UK is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre, around the entire circumference. Driving below this risks a fine of up to £2,500 per tyre and three penalty points, plus a much longer stopping distance in the wet.

A simple way to check at home is the 20p test. Insert a coin into the main tread grooves. If you can see the outer band, your tread may be below the legal limit and worth getting checked professionally before you set off. For more detail on how the test works, see the RAC’s video on how to check your tyre tread.  We’d recommend replacing at 3mm rather than waiting for the legal minimum, especially before a long trip, since braking performance drops noticeably below this point when you’re carrying passengers and luggage at motorway speed.

Tyre Pressure: Adjust for a Fully Loaded Car

A car packed for a two-week holiday carries far more weight than usual, and tyre pressure needs adjusting to match. Handbooks usually list a higher recommended pressure for a fully laden car, alongside the standard setting on the door sticker. Check pressures cold, ideally the morning before you leave, since a warm tyre gives a falsely high reading. It only takes a few minutes and helps protect against a blowout on the way to the ferry or airport.

Leaving Your Car Parked While You’re Away

If you’re flying rather than driving, your car may sit parked for a week or two in hot weather. Tyres naturally lose pressure over time, and heat speeds this up, so a tyre that was fine when you left could be underinflated by the time you’re back. Long periods parked can also cause temporary flat spots, which usually settle after a few miles of driving. Checking pressure and tread before you leave the car, not just before your trip, means one less thing to worry about when you land back.

Signs You Need New Tyres Before You Go

• Tread depth close to or below 3mm
• Cracks, splits or bulges in the sidewall
• Uneven wear, often a sign of alignment or suspension issues
• Vibration through the steering wheel while driving
• Tyres older than 10 years, even if tread looks acceptable

The Risks of Part-Worn Tyres

Part-worn tyres are sometimes seen as a cheaper option before a big trip, but there’s no way to know their full history, including whether they’ve been repaired incorrectly, run underinflated, or suffered hidden internal damage. Legally they must meet specific labelling and safety requirements, but enforcement is inconsistent, so substandard tyres do reach the market. That’s a real risk right before hundreds of miles of motorway driving.

A budget tyre is worth considering instead, and it’s an option that’s often overlooked. All new tyres sold in the UK have to meet strict safety and quality standards before they reach the market, so even an entry-level budget tyre from a reputable brand gives you a tested, reliable product, unlike a part-worn tyre, however well-known the brand, where that history is unknown.

How Tyres Affect Your MOT Before You Travel

If your MOT is due around the same time as your trip, get it done in good time rather than cutting it close. Tread depth, cuts, lumps, exposed cord and incorrect tyre type are all checked, and any of these is an immediate fail. Booking a vehicle health check ahead of your holiday gives you time to sort any issues in advance and it’s a good moment to book your service at the same time.

Get Your Tyres Checked Before You Go, in Taplow, Maidenhead, Marlow & Slough

Whether you need a quick pressure and tread check or think it’s time for a replacement, our team can take a look and give you honest advice, no pressure to buy anything you don’t need. Book a pre-holiday vehicle health check or MOT with us in Taplow, and we’ll cover tyres as standard alongside the rest of the car. We work with drivers across Taplow, Maidenhead, Marlow and Slough.

For the rest of your summer car care, see our guide to keeping your car in peak condition this summer.