22/07/2026
You should regularly check your tyres to make sure you have plenty of tread.
The minimum legal depth is 1.5 millimetres, but the more tread you have the better the grip and the safer you'll be.
Tread is vital to giving you grip on a wet road. The tread in your tyres moves water on the road as you drive through the water. The less tread you have, the less water the tyre can move, and the more likely you are to aquaplane (lose grip on the wet road and be unable to steer or brake).
Use a tyre tread depth checker or go to a garage and get them to check your tread depth.
You can also look for tread depth indicators in the tyre’s grooves – these usually look like little raised squares or rectangles in the groove (we’ve highlighted an example in the graphic below). The indicators are at 1.5 millimetres. It’s time to change the tyre if it’s worn to the level of the indicator.
Keep your tyres inflated at the pressure recommended by the vehicle manufacturer. Tyres naturally lose a little air pressure over time so it's worth checking them monthly. Remember to check any spares as well.
Our website has more information about tyre safety: https://www.nzta.govt.nz/tyres/
When the weather is bad, always check our pages to see if state highways are affected before you travel. Follow us if you aren’t already. You can find more information in this post: https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1CmQR6EXxn/
