Tyre safety crisis on UK roads: 40% vehicles driving on unsafe tyres

The UK faces a tyre safety crisis, with two in five (40%) of vehicles on the road today running on tyres that are either outright illegal or dangerously close to the limit.

That’s the stark warning from the National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA) as it publishes its TyreCheck 2025 report – the largest study of its kind ever undertaken in the UK.

The investigation of more than 58,000 vehicles across 141 locations found that 8% were fitted with illegal tyres below the 1.6mm legal minimum. A further 32% were on “barely legal” tyres – technically compliant but offering severely reduced grip and safety margins, especially in wet conditions. The NTDA warns this trend shows motorists are delaying replacement until the last possible moment, putting themselves and others at serious risk.

• Halesowen in the West Midlands named UK’s most dangerous hotspot with 71% of cars on illegal tyres, described as a “genuine public safety emergency”
• 8% of UK vehicles are running on illegal tyres below the 1.6mm legal minimum – a level that makes stopping safely in wet conditions almost impossible
• 32% of vehicles are on “barely legal” tyres (1.6–2.0mm tread), technically legal but dangerously unsafe
• Two in every five vehicles on UK roads today pose a serious safety risk to drivers, passengers, and other road users

The report also uncovered shocking regional disparities. In Halesowen in the West Midlands, the situation was described as a public safety emergency, with over 70% of vehicles found to be illegally equipped – the worst figures ever recorded in UK tyre safety monitoring and nine times the national average.

Northern Ireland recorded a national average of 21% of vehicles on illegal tyres, with a focused study revealing a staggering 57% non-compliance rate. Major urban centres fared badly too: Sheffield showed over 62% of vehicles at risk, and in Bradford the figure was 36%. By contrast, East England & Surrey and Hampshire delivered some of the best results, proving that strong tyre safety standards are achievable.

Ian Andrew, CEO of the NTDA, says: “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 calling for urgent action, including raising the legal minimum tread depth from 1.6mm to 2.0mm, targeted interventions in high-risk hotspots and greater financial support for motorists struggling with replacement costs.

With stopping distances doubling in wet conditions on tyres worn below 2mm, and fines of up to GBP2,500 per tyre and three penalty points for those caught driving illegally, the message to drivers is clear: delaying replacement is gambling not just with your wallet, but with lives.

To download the report in full and for more information visit: NTDA

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Media Contact: Emmie Archer, Build Public Relations, email: emmie@buildpr.co.uk 07980 000906

Editor’s Notes:


TyreCheck 2025 analysed 58,209 vehicles nationwide, a 55% increase on the original TyreCheck study in 2000
Illegal tyres: below 1.6mm tread depth. “Barely legal”: 1.6–2.0mm tread depth

About NTDA
Founded in 1930, the NTDA is a strongly proactive trade association representing and promoting the interests of the tyre wholesale, distribution and retail sectors of the automotive after-care market.
Every business sector needs strong professional representation and the NTDA fulfils this responsibility on behalf of independent tyre and automotive after-care retailers throughout the UK in a complex, highly competitive and ever-changing operating environment. It also has a thriving supplier and aftermarket membership.
Members range from the largest national retail groups with hundreds of depots, to the smallest local family run business and international tyre and equipment manufacturers.

The NTDA protects its members’ interests through its influence with regulatory bodies, Government departments, standard setting bodies and other opinion formers that establish industry best practice both in the UK and in Europe. It is consulted whenever new regulations or legislation are being considered and lobbies to ensure that members’ views and concerns are satisfactorily addressed and that the overall regulatory system remains practicable and affordable.