When was the last time you looked at the tyres on your car?

Police have released this image of the state of the tyres on a car they pulled over on the A39 in Street, after the vehicle triggered an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) alert.

ANPR is a technology that reads vehicle registration plates to create location data. This information is captured by scanners or cameras then cross-referenced for a range of traffic and law enforcement purposes.

Thanks to this technology, it soon emerged that the vehicle was on the road without insurance or MOT, but what should have been a reasonably straightforward stop soon became something else once officers spotted the state of the tyre.

An immediate prohibition order was slapped on the car, which was seized and taken away.

A social media post from the force's roads policing unit said: "This vehicle driver was stopped in Street A39 after it triggered ANPR for no insurance or MOT. On inspection a prohibition placed on it for this shocking tyre and the vehicle was seized."

An RAC spokesperson said: "Checking your legal tyre tread depth is one of the most important checks you can make on your car - having worn tyres means the only contact patch between you and the road is past its best.

"If the safety risks don't hit home, maybe the risk of a £2,500 fine and three penalty points for a worn tyre will? That's per tyre, too. If all four tyres are worn below the legal limit, you could potentially lose your licence and face a £10,000 fine."

According to law, the legal tyre tread depth for cars in the UK and Europe is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre. The tread must meet this minimum requirement across its complete circumference. 

Tyre and safety experts believe the 1.6mm legal minimum is insufficient to guarantee safety – most recommend a minimum tread depth of 3mm for tyre replacement.

Tests by UK technical organisation MIRA found that, once tyres are below 3mm, stopping distances increase dramatically, by as much as 44%.