MOTORING EXPERTS REVEAL THE 20P HACK THAT CAN SAVE DRIVERS FROM A BAN AND £2,500 FINE
MOTORING EXPERTS REVEAL THE 20P HACK THAT CAN SAVE DRIVERS FROM A BAN AND £2,500 FINE
● Drivers with illegal tyres can get up to 12 points on their license - enough for a ban
● The border of a 20p piece is almost exactly the same as the limit, making it a handy tool for checking if tyres are legal or not
● Halfords teams up with Judi Love to release a new video during Tyre Safety Month showing Brits just how easy the 20p check is
A simple 20p hack can save drivers from a £2,500 fine and a driving ban.
Drivers caught with worn tyres beneath the legal limit of 1.6mm face a fine of up to £2,500 and up to 12 penalty points - enough to have their license taken away.
For newly-qualified drivers the margin for error is even smaller - just two worn tyres, equivalent to six penalty points, is enough to lose a license.
But there is an easy trick to check this. The border of a 20p coin is very slightly larger than the legal limit, meaning drivers simply need to pop it in the tyre’s tread to check if they're ok. If they can see any of the border when the coin is inserted, the tyre needs changing.
But four in ten motorists (38%) didn't know about the trick - rising to as high as 59% for younger drivers that are at easiest risk of losing their license.
And three in ten drivers of all ages (30%) were also unaware of the hefty fine they could face if caught driving with illegal tyres.
However, fewer Brits carrying cash means that 48% say they don't have coins on them or in their car. And it’s not surprising - while in 2016-17 the Royal Mint issued 181 million 20p pieces, this fell to just 5 million in 2022-23 and to zero in 2023-23 (the most recent figures available).
Halfords is urging Brits to keep a 20p piece in their car as a safety measure and is also releasing a limited number of ‘20p key chains’ that motorists can attach to their car key, to ensure they always have one. The tokens will be available from participating Halfords retail stores and garages from the middle of October, whilst stocks last and have been designed to give an indication of when tyre tread is below the legal limit of 1.6mm*.
A poll of 2,000 motorists, released during Tyre Safety Month, found most do not check their tyres enough - 60% only do it only ‘every few months’ or less often. Amongst those who don’t check their tyres, nearly a quarter (23%) simply assume they'll be fine.
Halfords has worked with comedian Judi Love on an informative and entertaining video showing drivers how to check their tread using the coin. The video can be viewed HERE.
The research, released to accompany the video, found more than a quarter (27%) admitted they aren't confident they could tell if their tyres were no longer road legal. And 64% didn't even know about the 1.6mm legal tread limit.
Judi Love, who is working with Halfords to raise awareness of tyre safety during Tyre Safety Month, said: “It's a simple check that takes seconds but could save you a pretty penny.
“Just by carrying a 20p coin in the car and checking it every now and again, or before long drives, you can help make sure your car tyres are not only legal but also safe. I am not someone you’d call car-savvy, but even I can do that. Or I’ll get my daughter to do it for me.
“It takes less than 30 seconds to check all four tyres and is definitely worthwhile when you consider the safety implications, let alone the cost of the fine or even losing your license.”
As winter approaches, the research also found 61% get their car winter-ready simply by putting de-icer or an ice scraper in the vehicle.
Exactly half (50%) check their tyre pressure and 39% check the tread depth. Meanwhile, just 21% will book their car into a garage for a check-up.
It was also found 55% have broken down at least once, with the average motorist left stranded for 76 minutes.
Karen Bellairs, Chief Customer Officer at Halfords added: “Getting winter-ready is about more than putting an ice scraper in the car. When roads are wet or icy, the condition of your tyres matters to the safety of every journey.
“You don’t have to be a car expert to check them. A 20p piece can help you spot when your tyre tread may be too low, giving you a chance to act before your next journey. And if you’re unsure what you’re looking for, our Halfords experts are here to help.”
Ends
For further information please contact Halfords@vccproar.com or 0207 932 3693
Research study commissioned by Halfords and conducted by One Poll in September 2026 amongst 2,000 UK car drivers.
*Customers will be able to pick up Halfords Tyre Checking Keychains for free from participating Halfords retail stores and garages from the middle of October, whilst stocks last. These have been designed to give an indication of when tyre tread is below the legal limit of 1.6mm. Motorists should always use a DVSA-approved tyre tread depth gauge to confirm the tread depth of their tyres.
About Halfords
Halfords is the UK's leading provider of motoring and cycling products and services. Customers shop at 404 Halfords stores, 3 Performance Cycling stores (trading as Tredz and Giant), 604 garages (trading as Halfords Autocentres, McConechy's and National) and have access to more than 200 mobile service vans that come to customers' homes. Customers can also shop at halfords.com and tredz.co.uk for pick up at their local store or direct home delivery, as well as booking garage services online at halfords.com.