Life Driving Academy Segment 1 Practice Test 2026 – Complete Exam Prep

Measuring tire tread depth quickly relies on a simple, standard reference you can use with no tools. The quarter test uses a U.S. quarter to estimate whether the tread is deep enough. Insert the coin into the tread with George Washington’s head facing you. If you can see the top of Washington’s head, the tread is less than 4/32 of an inch deep, which means it’s time to consider replacing or checking the tire more carefully. If the top is obscured, you have at least 4/32 of an inch remaining, which is commonly treated as the minimum for safe highway driving.

This method is preferred for being fast, easy, and requiring no measuring tools. Tape measures or rulers can give a precise number but are slower and require you to measure several grooves. A generic coin test could be inconsistent since coins vary in size and design, whereas the quarter test provides a consistent, widely accepted reference.