Auto Express Tests Show Benefits of 3mm Tread Depth

(Clacton, U.K./Tyres & Accessories) Thousands of road accidents in the U.K. could be prevented every year if the minimum tyre tread depth was increased to 3mm, according to the findings of an Auto Express investigation.

Published: July 13, 2006

In the first magazine test of its kind, Auto Express compared the stopping distances of a car travelling at 70 mph with both 3mm and 1.6mm of tread depth.

According to the test, it can take 44 metres more for a car to stop at motorway speeds in the rain if its rubber is on the legal limit. Chris Wakley, from the Tyre Industry Council commented: “These new findings are shocking. They show for the first time how dramatic the reduction in braking performance can be between tyres with 3mm and 1.6mm of tread at motorway speeds in the wet. It also indicates that a change in the law is certainly worth considering.”

How family and community ties compound the success of McMahon’s Best-One

With 13 locations and counting, McMahon has close-knit ties to the communities it serves and is elevating professionalism in the tire industry.

By David Sickels

David Sickels is the Editor of Tire Review. He has a history of working in the media, marketing and automotive industries in both print and online.

Published: May 14, 2024

Community makes McMahon’s Best-One stand out from the competition. The company was founded in 1969 by Pat McMahon, who bought out a local independent tire dealer in Ft. Wayne, Indiana, with the help of Paul Zurcher.

Pat built a strong foundation for the business, and today, his son, Bubba, who grew up in the tire industry, now owns it with Randy Geyer, a longtime employee. Bubba’s wife, Kim, is now president of McMahon’s Best-One, and together they are pushing the limits on what it means to be an independent tire dealer.