Braking better with worn tyres? - but what about in the wet!

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Posted: 190410

See an article by Joe Finnerty, Digital Motors Editor with the Sun newspaper, published on 18th May 2017. Article		 Tony Lake spotted an article in the Sun newspaper that reported that "according to a leading tyre maker switching tyres before you reach the legal limit is a waste of money and won't make you safer on the road - Michelin said the desire from the tyre industry to raise the legal limit to 3mm from 1.6mm would only serve to add millions of pounds a year to UK motorists' bill". The article adds "Michelin's research also reveals there's no link between tread depths at 1.6mm and increasing accident rates" .
The article adds "in fact, braking in the dry is actually improved with a more worn tyre as it offers greater grip. Michelin argues as the UK has 133 days a year of wet roads and is dry for the remaining 64 per cent, dry performance is actually much more important than how much water it can shift on a daily basis. Michelin also found some worn tyres could perform just as well on wet roads, too, and tread depth isn't the overriding factor but the quality of the tyre to start with. Minimum tyre standards require rubber to pass a test when new and while a premium tyre will continue to achieve these standards long into its life, cheaper rubber will reduce severely once worn".

Comment
Tony Lake says "my experience years ago when I was penniless was that very well worn tyres on my Mk 1, 2 and 3 Cortinas were a joy in the dry, I guess that's why F1 runs on slicks, but watch out in the wet! I agree with the proposed legislation, if one is aware of what does and can happen, then well worn tyres are only as dangerous as you want to make them. However poor Joe Public in his air bagged cocoon is likely to make a mess of things not just for himself but for others too; so I think I'd rather be protected from the idiots".