More than 2 million vehicles failed their MOT because of ‘tyre defects’ last year according to data from the Driver Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).
The total figure was 2.15 million, with 750,000 of those previously flagged for advisory issues relating to their tyres.
It’s prompted road safety concerns from various bodies, including the National Police Chief’s Council (NPCC) and the Advisory Council for Transport Safety (PACTS), who are now calling for tighter regulation around tyre safety.
Tyre safety is something that has never been far away from the spotlight, with it being responsible for a large portion of breakdowns.
Do Tyre Safety Laws Need Tightening?
As traffic levels rise in the UK, breakdowns and incidents are also becoming more common, with tyres responsible for almost half (47.6%) of all breakdowns on motorways and major A roads according to government data.
With the warmer summer months (and holidays) to come, experts are stressing the importance of basic vehicle checks, including on tyres, to ensure that you’re safe as you head out on the road.
Of course, for fleets, this is part of a much bigger picture of vehicle checks that you’re familiar with but given the sheer number of tyre-related incidents and failed MOTs, road safety experts are concerned that current rules don’t go far enough to ensure people keep their tyres in a roadworthy state.
You can read more about the calls for more to be done about Tyre Safety here
Add in the issues we’re all familiar with when it comes to potholes and it can be a real concern for everyone, especially with maintenance and repair costs on the rise.
2024 saw the highest pothole-related breakdowns on record, with 1,600 per day being recorded in May 2024, a figure which could rise as traffic levels peak this year.
Punctures and suspension damage as a result of potholes are more common than you might realise, particularly when potholes are deeper than they seem.
What Should Fleets Look Out For?
Whether it’s tyre issues, vehicle defects, potholes or even an increase in traffic levels, everything poses a risk for fleets and drivers.
Let’s face it, running a fleet is about mitigating risk and making sure things are as safe as can be… but things still go wrong sometimes.
At Driving Monitor, our Risk Monitor gives you total visibility over your strengths and weaknesses, helping you to keep your driver’s risk to a minimum and give you a bird’s eye view of where you stand.
You can find out more about our Risk Monitor HERE.
Road safety is an issue that is evolving and as we all know, it’s not just about vehicle and driver safety, the wider issue is around other drivers, road conditions and traffic levels and how it impacts you and your fleet.
Do you think more needs to be done to ensure drivers adhere to tyre safety rules? And have tyre-related issues (whether pothole-related or not) affected you more than usual? Let us know…
