Fleet safety policies ignore tyre management
Fleet safety policies focus on new technologies and compliance but overlook the critical element of tyres, according to Venson Automotive Solutions.
Data from the DVSA has found that 2.1 million MOT failures were attributed to tyre defects in 2023-2024, with 36% of them having received safety advisories on previous MOTs.
Meanwhile, 172 people were killed or seriously injured in tyre-related incidents in 2024.
Despite this, Venson Automotive Solutions has said that fleets focus on vehicle technology, electrification and compliance but fail to educate drivers around the value of tyre safety.
Tyre management
Lee O’Neill, operations director, said: “Fleet professionals, company car and vans drivers can spend hours looking for, test driving and speccing their next vehicle. However, it is almost a racing certainty that in searching out the very latest technology and available bells and whistles, the one feature they probably ignore is tyres.
“Yet, tyre management represents a significant opportunity for fleets to improve safety, reduce downtime and better control costs, particularly during the transition to electric vehicles.
“Tyres may not be the most glamorous part of managing a vehicle fleet, but they are one of the most important. A proactive tyre strategy can deliver real benefits across safety, efficiency, and total cost of ownership to those fleets willing to invest the time.”
The government has appointed TyreSafe as a strategic partner in its Road Safety Strategy, but Venson Automotive Solutions is urging fleets to act now rather than wait for new legislation to force their hand.
