Is Tread on Car Tires Only Important in Wet Conditions?

A tire with worn tread poses dangers to you and your vehicle.

While good tire tread is definitely vital when driving in wet conditions, it is also an issue under general driving conditions. Excessively worn tread has definite effects on the vehicle's performance.

Problems In Wet Conditions

Vehicles that have excessively worn tire tread are susceptible to hydroplaning on wet surfaces. Another safety concern is the additional braking distance that a vehicle with worn tire tread will require in the rain or snow. The need to perform emergency stops in these conditions could have dire consequences.

Unseen Dangers

Tires with worn tread may also cause or signal larger problems. Misaligned, underinflated and out-of-balance tires may go unnoticed but show up in excessive tread wear. Underinflated tires lead to decreased gas mileage for the vehicle, and out-of-balance tires will cause noticeable shaking while driving. Worn tire treads also decrease the protection of the tire casing from being punctured, leading to blowouts.

Legal Tread Depth

According to law in most U.S. states, when the tread is down to 2/32 inch of the remaining tread depth, the tire should be replaced. Tires are considered to lose adequate traction with traction less than this depth.

References

• Safetires.org: Tire Tread Safety Facts
• Tire Rack: What Honest Abe Doesn't Tell You About Minimum Tread Depths