Merityre on Ock Street is offering free tyre inspections for Tyre Safety Month, with four checks to do at home, the 20p tread test and why dark nights matter.
Drivers in Abingdon can have their tyres inspected free at Merityre’s Ock Street branch this month, as the garage asks motorists to check them before the clocks go back on Sunday 25 October and more of their driving moves into the dark.
October is Tyre Safety Month, and the branch is using it to make a simple point: tyres get looked at during the MOT and often not otherwise, even though they are the only part of the car touching the road. Worn, damaged or under-inflated tyres affect grip, braking and handling, and the garage says that matters more as the evenings shorten and the roads get wetter. Anyone who would rather not do the checks themselves can book a visit for a complimentary inspection.
The numbers behind it
The road safety charity TyreSafe estimates that 6.1 million tyres on UK roads are illegal or dangerously worn at any one time, usually because the tread has fallen below the legal minimum of 1.6mm.
Merityre also points to the Department for Transport’s Reported Road Casualties Great Britain: Final Results 2025, which it says shows the number of people killed or seriously injured in collisions involving illegal, defective or under-inflated tyres rising from 169 in 2024 to 201 in 2025.
What the garage says
Darren Smeeth, general manager at Merityre, said: “Tyre Safety Month is a timely reminder that looking after your tyres should be part of every motorist’s routine, not something that only happens when the MOT comes around.
“The nights are drawing in and the clocks are going back in a matter of days, so we’ll soon be spending more time driving in the dark and in wet conditions. Taking a few minutes to check your tyres is a simple step that can help make sure they are ready for the road ahead.
“You don’t need to be a tyre expert to carry out some basic checks. Look for cuts, cracks, bulges or anything else that doesn’t look right, check your tread depth and make sure your tyres are inflated to the recommended pressure.
“We’d encourage everyone to use Tyre Safety Month as a prompt to check their tyres and seek professional advice if they have any concerns. It could make all the difference.”
Four checks to do at home
- Tread. Use the 20p test. Push a 20p coin into the main grooves of the tyre: if you can see the coin’s outer band, the tread may be getting close to the legal limit and the tyre should be looked at by a professional.
- Pressure. Inflate the tyres to the pressure the car’s manufacturer recommends. The figures are usually in the handbook, inside the driver’s door or on the fuel filler flap.
- Damage. Look over each tyre for cuts, cracks, bulges, punctures or uneven wear.
- Do it often. A quick look every few weeks, and before a longer journey, catches problems early rather than at the next MOT.
Booking a free inspection
Merityre Abingdon is on Ock Street. Details of the branch are on the Merityre Abingdon page, or call 01235 639411 to book a free tyre inspection.
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