The Five-Minute Tyre Check That Could Save Your Life

Tyre Safety Month is a national campaign held every October across the UK to raise awareness about the importance of proper tyre maintenance. Led by TyreSafe, it encourages drivers to check their tyre tread depth, pressure, and overall condition—key factors in preventing accidents, breakdowns, and costly repairs. The goal is simple: safer roads, fewer collisions, and more confident drivers.

Yes, the title sounds dramatic, but it isn’t. In 2023, 190 people in the UK were killed or seriously injured in tyre-related collisions, a 29% increase on the year before. These aren’t freak accidents; they are preventable tragedies.

One fatal crash investigated by Shaun McKeown involved two tyres with worn tread depths below the legal limit. The coroner urged drivers and garages to carry out more regular checks to prevent similar tragedies. And it’s not just about fatal accidents—underinflated tyres cause thousands of motorway breakdowns every year, quietly putting lives at risk.

Here’s what tyre-related accidents looked like in 2025:

• 159 people were killed or seriously injured due to defective tyres. Slightly lower than 2023, but still worryingly high.
• Over six million tyres on UK roads had illegal tread depth, risking fines of up to £2,500 per tyre.
• More than two million MOT failures were caused by tyre defects, with one million considered dangerous.
• 51,500 tyre-related breakdowns occurred on motorways and A roads, a 14% rise from the previous year.
• Poor maintenance was linked to 75% of tyre defects in fatal incidents, and 61% across all vehicles.
• 5,594 convictions for defective tyres were recorded in 2024. A downward trend, yes—but still a serious safety concern.
• £1 billion in fuel is wasted every year due to underinflated tyres, which also wear out faster and increase the risk of blowouts.

Tyres are the only part of your car that actually touches the road. Yet millions of UK drivers unknowingly put themselves and others at risk every day. Five minutes spent checking your tyres could be the difference between arriving safely and a fatal crash.

The Science of Bad Tyres: What Really Happens on the Road

Some people think tyres are just rubber rings that make a car roll. In reality, they are carefully engineered components that affect every aspect of your vehicle’s safety, performance and control. When tyres are worn, underinflated, or damaged, that carefully designed science can turn against you—fast.

Grip, Control and Wet Roads

Tyres rely on friction to stay in contact with the road. Their tread patterns channel water away, keeping the rubber gripping the surface. Drop below 1.6 millimetres of tread—the UK legal minimum—and that grip disappears, especially in wet conditions.

• Hydroplaning: Shallow tread lets water build up under the tyre and lift it off the road. Steering, braking, and control vanish in seconds.
• Longer stopping distance: Worn tyres can increase braking distance by up to 44% in wet conditions. That’s the difference between a near miss and a collision.

Pressure Makes Perfect

Underinflated tyres flex too much, get hot, and reduce stability. Over time, this can lead to:

• Blowouts: Excessive heat weakens the tyre wall, causing sudden failure at motorway speeds.
• Sluggish handling: Low pressure affects cornering and steering, making your car feel unpredictable.

Hidden Dangers of Uneven Wear

Misaligned wheels or suspension issues can cause uneven wear, often invisible to the eye. These weak spots compromise grip and increase the risk of tyre failure under stress.

The Real Consequences

• Loss of control: Most tyre-related crashes involve vehicles veering off course due to poor grip or sudden failure.
• Rollovers: Blowouts at high speed can destabilise SUVs and 4x4s.
• Chain-reaction collisions: One car losing control can trigger multi-vehicle pileups.

The Five-Minute Solution

A quick monthly check can prevent all of this. Here’s what to look for:

• Tread depth (a 20p coin is perfect for measuring)
• Tyre pressure (check your manual or the door sticker)
• Visible damage or bulges
• Uneven wear patterns

It takes five minutes, but could save a lifetime.

While we appreciate that this might seem like common sense, it isn’t so common today. That’s why we’re sharing this reminder for our customers, staff, friends, family, and the public. Visit Read Motor Group at any of our branches in Lincoln, Boston, Burton, Derby, Doncaster, Worksop, Kings Lynn, and Grimsby for guidance, free checks, or a friendly chat about tyre safety or order new tyres for your car.

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