Álex Amilibia, mechanic: "The fine for having tires in poor condition can reach 800 euros; I'll show you how to check your tire tread with a euro coin."

Tire tread is vital for the safety of our vehicle . And it's also vital to avoiding problems such as failing the MOT (Inspection of Vehicle Inspection) or a painful fine . Any tire with a tread depth below 1.6 mm is subject to a fine of 200 euros. Furthermore, if the tires have cracks or deformations, you also face the same fine. Doing the math, wearing all four tires incorrectly can add up to a fine of 800 euros in total. And to find out if your tires need replacing, young mechanic Álex Amilibia ( @amiliibia on TikTok, with more than 575,000 followers) suggests a simple trick: " With a one-euro coin, I'll teach you how to check your wheel," he begins in one of his latest videos.

Alex reminds us that the margin for a fine is only “1.6 mm, so it's quite small. Tires are the only thing holding us to the ground, so if they're in poor condition, we could have an accident ,” he asserts. Yes, but how do we check the tread on a one-euro coin? “The one-euro coin, as you can see, has a silver area and a gold area. The gold area measures 2.5 mm, so we insert it between the grooves. It has to be exactly the same in absolutely all the grooves. If you can see the gold area, they're ready to be replaced ,” Amilibia shows us in the video.

And of course, if we don't see the silver area and only see gold, you can already imagine: "That would mean a €200 fine here," says Álex Amilibia. In any case, you can look at the tread wear indicators or warning lights. They're thin lines that run through the tire's grooves and are 1.6 mm high. If you've reached them, it's time to go to the garage .

Amilibia also reminds us that tire treads must be worn evenly, otherwise, a fine could result: "All the grooves must be completely even; if the outside is more worn, it would also result in a fine," he warns.

The reason for this uneven wear, in most cases, is incorrect tire pressure : "If, for example, we see that the center area is more depressed than the sides, it means the tire pressure is too high. And conversely, if we see that the sides are more depressed than the inner area, it means the pressure is low," Amilibia concludes. It's always a good idea to check your tire pressure once a month, before and after a long trip, and during sudden changes in temperature. This will save you from scares and fines.