TyreCheck 2025 Finds 4 in 10 UK Vehicles at Safety Risk

TyreCheck 2025, published by the National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA), is the UK’s largest tyre safety survey to date. Between 19–23 May 2025, technicians inspected 54,704 vehicles at 141 locations nationwide, supported by focused studies in Glasgow, Surrey & Hampshire and Northern Ireland. The campaign assessed tread depth, wear patterns, repairability and structural condition to highlight safety risks beyond the legal minimum.

Key Findings

• Nationally, 7.69% of vehicles had illegal tyres (below 1.6 mm). A further 31.79% were “barely legal” (1.6–2.0 mm). Combined, 39.48% of vehicles presented elevated risk.
• Compared with 2000, illegal tyres fell from 10.0% to 7.7%, but “barely legal” tyres rose from 17.0% to 31.8%, signalling more last-minute replacement.
• Total sample across all streams reached 58,209 vehicles (national survey plus regional deep dives).

“Legal doesn’t always mean safe.” — Ian Andrew, NTDA Chief Executive.

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Why ‘Barely Legal’ Matters

The Highway Code requires at least 1.6 mm across the central three-quarters of the tread around the full circumference, but braking and wet-grip performance deteriorate well before this point.

Regional Picture: Standouts and Hotspots

• Best performing regions: East England recorded just 1.8% illegal tyres; Scotland’s focused Glasgow study reported 0.63% illegal. Surrey & Hampshire’s focused study found 0.32% illegal.
• Areas of concern: Northern Ireland logged 20.4% illegal in the national survey and 57.3% illegal in a focused study sample.
• Critical hotspot: Halesowen showed 70.9% illegal tyres among 461 vehicles — an unprecedented public safety emergency in the dataset.

Urban Lens

City centres showed elevated risk, with an average 27.2% illegal rate across six examined cities, far above the national average. Economic pressures, higher usage and access to services all influence outcomes.

What Was Inspected (Beyond Tread)

The focused studies captured:

• Structural defects (out-of-shape tyres, cord exposure)
• Age-related deterioration (perishing)
• Irregular wear (edge wear indicating alignment/suspension issues)
• Repairability assessments

These checks underline that tread depth alone does not define tyre safety.

NTDA’s findings align with recent industry discussion on compliance and consumer behaviour. See Tyre News reporting on TyreSafe Briefing 2025 and policy action momentum, as well as analysis indicating rising non-compliance on tread depth:

• TyreSafe Briefing 2025 Drives Road Safety Dialogue Forward.
• Tyre Tread Depth Non-Compliance on the Rise: 1 in 5 UK Cars May Be Illegal.

Recommendations and Next Steps

The report calls for:

• Emergency action in Halesowen and targeted interventions in other hotspots.
• Policy review of the legal minimum tread threshold, plus graduated penalties to encourage earlier replacement.
• Enhanced MOT follow-ups for tyre advisories.
• Economic support for low-income motorists and stronger promotion of TPMS maintenance.

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TYRECHECK 2025A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF UK TYRE STANDARDS: https://ntda.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/NDTA-TyreCheck-report-DPS.pdf

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Tagged with: TyreCheck 2025, NTDA, tyre safety, tread depth, barely legal tyres, MOT failure rates, TPMS, UK regions, Glasgow, Northern Ireland, enforcement, road safety

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