Continental Tyres is calling for motorists to take urgent action in response to startling  new research, which reveals that failing to change worn car tyres can cost lives.

The new study, which tested the effects of tyre tread depth on straight line braking and cornering in wet conditions, proves that the stopping distance of a car travelling at 50mph on tyres with just 1.6mm tread depth (the minimum legal requirement) increases by 37% - or 8.8 metres - compared to new tyres with 6.7 mm of tread.

A stopping distance of 8.8m is equivalent to more than 2 car lengths and could make the critical difference between knocking over and potentially killing a pedestrian or knocking a child off their bike and stopping in time.

Commenting on the findings, Roger Sanders, General Manager Technical Services, Continental Tyres said: "As an industry we are aware that tyre performance decreases in proportion to tread depth, but even we are surprised  by these new results which demonstrate that although tyre performance has continuously advanced over the years, the dangers of worn tyres remain very significant and are far worse than most road users  would  be aware of". 

"As a result, we feel it is time to take a strong stance on this issue and warn drivers of the dangers. With over 300,000[1] road accidents taking place each year, if motorists replace worn tyres sooner, stopping distances can be dramatically reduced, road accidents can be prevented and lives can be saved."

The independent research, conducted at the Motor Industry Research Association,found little deterioration in performance between 6.7mm and 4mm in the wet braking tests but a severe drop-off when tyre tread depth fell below 3.5mm.

Sanders added: "The decision of when to replace worn tyres is down to judgement of the driver, and is generally based on factors of cost and safety. However, the findings of this independent test demonstrate that serious consideration should be given to adopting a 3mm threshold. After all, a motorist would not be content with using brakes that were only 75% safe."

The findings reinforce the Tyre Industry Council's call to motorists to check the tread depth and pressures on their tyres frequently, at least once per month, and to consider replacing tyres well before they reach the minimum legal tread depth.

The Tyre Industry Council works closely with UK police forces supporting roadside tyre checks, latest figures confirm that 11% of cars and vans on UK roads have at least one defective tyre, a further 11% of vehicles checked had at least one tyre below 2mm.

The Tyre Industry Council is a not-for-profit, non-commercial body, funded by tyre manufacturers and the majority of UK tyre retailers via its Associates programme.  The main, and most successful, activity of the Tyre Industry Council is the roadside tyre check programme, run with the support and assistance of police forces throughout the UK.

[1] THINK! Road Safety