NTDA reveals worrying state of worn tyres
A new study has found that nearly half of all vehicles on UK roads have worn tyres that are either illegal or close to the limit.
The National Tyre Distributors Association examined the tyres of more than 58,000 vehicles in 141 locations and found that 40% posed a significant road safety risk
It found that eight per cent of vehicles had tyres below the legal limit of 1.6mm tread, while 32% had tyres considered barely legal.
Ian Andrew, CEO of the NTDA, said: “This report should serve as a wake-up call for every motorist in the UK. The fact that nearly two in five vehicles are running on tyres that are either illegal or dangerously close to it is shocking.
“The tragedy is that this isn’t just a technical issue – it’s about lives at risk every single day on our roads.
“Legal doesn’t always mean safe and drivers are leaving tyre replacement far too late. We urgently need to move beyond minimum standards and make tyre safety a national priority.”
The NTDA is now calling on the government to raise the legal limit of tyre treads from 1.6mm to 2mm, while offering support for drivers struggling to pay the costs of replacing worn tyres.
