Dealers have an opportunity to educate their customers on tyre safety, after a survey found two in five motorists don’t know what the minimum legal tread depth is and one in 10 didn’t understand what tread depth meant.

Kwik Fit, which sponsored the survey, said the results mean that there are more than 30 million driving licence holders unaware of the basic legal requirements around tyres.

The Opinium research of 2,004 motorists found nine in ten were unaware that they could receive three licence points and a fine of up to £2,500 per tyre for illegally worn tyres.

Most drivers check their tyre tread depth less than every six months, it found, and only four in 10 check the tyre pressures at least once per month.

“These figures are alarming and prove we have a lot of work to do when it comes to tyre education,” said Roger Griggs, communications director at Kwik Fit.

“For all the safety developments car manufacturers are making, we have to remember that tyres are the only part of a car that are in contact with the road and so it is vital that they are in the best condition possible.”

Tyre labelling regulations brought in several years ago were hope to make consumers more aware about the tyres they were choosing, however most motorists still fail to understand tyre quality and safety.

Find out more about aftersales opportunities for dealers, including repairs to electric vehicles and advanced driver assistance systems, at Automotive Management Live on November 7 at Birmingham NEC.