Poor-quality tyres with reduced tread depth may cause your car to skid in wet weather or when braking. New, quality tyres hold your car on the road, save fuel and reduce noise and emissions.
Choosing tyres – look for the label
The EU has introduced a labelling scheme (from 1 November 2012) to help consumers choose the best tyres in terms of fuel efficiency, wet grip and noise. Tyres for cars and light commercial vehicles must have a sticker on them with product information. For heavy-duty-vehicle tyres, the label will appear in technical documents and on websites.
Environmental benefits
Fuel-efficient tyres - if widely used - could save an estimated 6.6 Mtoe (million tonnes of oil equivalent) of fuel per year by 2020. They could also cut CO2 emissions by 4 million tonnes a year, the equivalent of removing 1.3 million passenger cars from EU roads annually.
Safer, quieter
The labels will grade a tyre's ability to brake on a wet road. High-performing tyres can reduce braking distance by several metres.
Labels will also provide information on which are the quietest tyres.
Useful links
- Study on some safety-related aspects of tyre use
- Press release: Right set of tyres can reduce your fuel bill
- More on EU tyre labelling rules