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Worn tyres can be even more dangerous than using a mobile phone behind the wheel

A new study commissioned by Halfords found that cars with legal but worn tyres have a longer braking distance than those driven by distracted motorists, increasing stopping distances to 123 metres versus 111.5 metres for phone use.
Research conducted by Professor Peter Wells, Director of the Centre for Automotive Industry Research at Cardiff University, established that a vehicle with good tyres travelling at 70mph stops in 96 metres, providing the baseline for comparison.
"Drivers need to be aware that tyre performance begins to become impaired long before they reach the legal limit," Wells said, emphasizing the legal minimum should not be mistaken for a safety benchmark.
A survey of 2,000 motorists conducted via OnePoll revealed 29 per cent do not know the legal tread limit, while 28 per cent lack confidence in identifying when tyres need replacing.
Public opinion indicates 31 per cent of motorists believe the legal tread limit should increase to more than 1.6mm, while 53 per cent argued driving with less grippy rubbers should lead to stricter penalties.

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