By RAM Tracking on 24 Sep 2025
In 2023, 190 people were killed or seriously injured in incidents related to defective tyres, a concerning 29% rise from the previous year. This figure is on par with mobile phone-related incidents, and over 6 million UK tyres annually have illegal tread.
For fleet managers, these aren't just statistics. When your drivers are covering 50,000+ miles a year in all weather conditions, every tyre on every vehicle becomes a critical safety decision that could save lives and protect your business.
The reality is stark: proper tyre maintenance isn't just about compliance. It's about preventing your company from becoming part of these tragic statistics.
Think about how your fleet vehicles compare to a typical family car. While the average UK driver covers about 7,400 miles per year, your commercial drivers are probably doing 50,000 miles or more. They're carrying heavy loads, driving in all weather conditions, and often working to tight schedules that can tempt them to overlook essential safety checks.
This intense usage means fleet tyres face pressures that regular car tyres never experience. They heat up more, wear down faster, and when they fail, the consequences are far more serious. A tyre blowout on a busy motorway isn't just inconvenient. It can be catastrophic.
When people talk about tyre safety, tread depth often gets reduced to a simple legal requirement of 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre. But for fleet drivers, this bare minimum is like saying the speed limit is the safest speed to drive. It's not.
Research from TyreSafe shows that tyres with tread below 3mm take 30% longer to stop on wet roads compared to new tyres. Picture your driver approaching a roundabout on a rainy morning. Traffic suddenly stops. Those extra few metres of stopping distance could mean the difference between a close call and a serious accident.
So when should you actually replace fleet tyres? Don't wait for 1.6mm. Consider these practical guidelines:
There's a simple check your drivers can do during their daily inspections. Take a 20p coin and insert it into the tyre groove. If you can see the outer rim of the coin, it's time to start thinking about replacement.
It's not scientific, but it's a good field indicator that works anywhere.
While tread depth gets most of the attention, tyre pressure might be costing you more money than you realise. Under-inflated tyres create serious problems: higher risk of blowouts, poor vehicle control, and increased fuel consumption.
The Energy Saving Trust found that tyres can affect fuel efficiency by up to 15%. Under-inflated tyres also wear out 25% faster. For fleets covering hundreds of thousands of miles annually, these hidden costs add up quickly.
Research from the Department for Transport shows that properly inflated tyres can improve fuel efficiency by 3%. That might not sound like much, but across your entire fleet over a year, it means real savings.
Getting tyre pressure right isn't complicated, but it requires consistency. Pressure should be checked monthly for most vehicles, but weekly for high-mileage fleet vehicles. Always check when tyres are cold and ideally before the vehicle has been driven that day. Temperature changes can affect pressure readings, so morning checks give you the most accurate picture.
Remember that tyre pressure needs to match the load. A van carrying a full payload needs a different pressure than one running empty. Your vehicle manufacturer will provide specific guidelines, and it's worth making sure your drivers understand how to adjust pressure based on their typical loads.
Every commercial driver knows they're supposed to do daily vehicle checks, but tyre inspections often get rushed or skipped entirely. This is both dangerous and illegal.
Tyres need at least 1.6mm tread depth across the central three-quarters, no cuts or bulges, correct pressure for the load, and you can't mix different tyre types on the same axle.
The penalties for not meeting these requirements are serious:
Beyond legal compliance, daily checks create a culture of safety. A proper inspection involves:
When drivers understand that a few minutes of checking could prevent a dangerous blowout, they're more likely to take it seriously.
Technology has made fleet tyre management much easier than it used to be. RAM Tracking’s digital vehicle check system protects fleets and improves safety. It sends reminders when checks are due, maintains comprehensive records for regulatory audits, and tracks patterns in tyre wear across the fleet.
This isn't just about reducing paperwork, although that's definitely a benefit. Digital systems ensure nothing gets missed, provide clear audit trails for compliance purposes, and can identify vehicles or routes that are particularly hard on tyres. Over time, this data helps you make better decisions about tyre purchasing, maintenance schedules, and driver training needs.
The system works with your existing fleet management tools, linking tyre data with fuel monitoring, route planning, and fleet maintenance scheduling. This gives you a complete view of how tyres affect your operation.
Good tyre management isn't just about compliance or cost control. It's about ensuring that everyone who depends on your fleet can trust that you take safety seriously. With 190 people killed or seriously injured in tyre-related incidents last year, every replacement decision matters.
Ready to improve your fleet's tyre safety? Get a quote for RAM Tracking's digital fleet management system today and start protecting your drivers with systematic vehicle checks, automated reminders, and complete compliance reporting.
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