We all need to save money, but don’t be stingy when it comes to tyre safety.

I’ve made no secret of my affinity for second-hand cars – ok, bangers – and I’m happy enough to give up on some comforts when the tradeoff is lowering the cost of running a vehicle. We’ve saved a fortune over the last few years by doing this and by repairing our cars ourselves, but even as dedicated money savers, we know there are some things you just shouldn’t sacrifice for the sake of saving a few pennies.

Your tyres are worth it

Of course, whether your car is new or ancient, you have a responsibility to maintain it to a safe, roadworthy standard. That’s why cars in the UK go through an annual MOT. You owe it to other drivers and pedestrians not to present your vehicle as a danger to them, but of course, you also owe it to yourself and to your family.

Keeping your tyres in good shape is often quoted by money bloggers as a way to save money on fuel – i.e. keeping them pumped to the correct pressure for optimum fuel efficiency – but there’s more to it than that. Keeping them pumped to the correct pressure is a safety measure as it helps you to maintain control especially when driving at high speeds.

You could lose more than you save from ignoring your tyres!

Before coming across this infographic from tyreplus.co.uk, I had no idea that there were such stringent fines for having tyres with a tread depth below the legal limit. Apparently, up to £2500 per tyre, or potentially £10000!

Running the risk of a substantial fine as well as points on your licence is just not worth it. It’s best to keep an eye on the wear on your tyres and stay on the safe side.

Saving your life is worth more than saving money

The cost of replacing worn tyres should ideally be factored in to your annual budget. There’s too much at stake to ignore it: this is one area that you shouldn’t skimp on to save a few pounds.