Vans drivers given dangerous tyre defect warning
New analysis has found that vans given a tyre warning during an MOT are twice as likely to have a dangerous tyre defect within a year.
TyreSafe analysis of DVSA data found that about seven per cent of vans which were given an advisory during their last MOT had a dangerous tyre defect a year later. This compares to 3.6% of vans without a tyre advisory at their most recent MOT.
Meanwhile, for large vans of 3-3.5 tonnes, the risk increased from three per cent to 6.3%.
There are 4.89 million vans licensed in the UK, and they cover around one mile in every six driven on Britain’s roads. About one in five vehicles involved in a collision while being driven for work is a van.
Stuart Lovatt, chair of TyreSafe, said: “An MOT tyre advisory is an early warning, and our analysis shows it is a reliable one. Vans that get one are almost twice as likely to have a dangerous tyre a year later. That is a risk to the driver, to everyone around them, and to the business that depends on that van.
“Fleet managers already have this information on the MOT certificate. The fix is simple: treat every tyre advisory as a job with a deadline, and make sure drivers ACT on their tyres every day.”
