Changes to legal minimum tread depth wanted amid tyre safety concerns

18th September 2025

Two-in-every five vehicles on UK roads pose a serious safety risk to drivers, passengers, and other road users, according to an annual tyre report.

It found that 40% of vehicles on the road today are running on tyres that are either illegal or dangerously close to the limit.

The study of more than 58,000 vehicles across 141 locations, conducted by the National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA), found that one-in-12 (8%) were fitted with illegal tyres below the 1.6mm legal minimum.

The TyreCheck 2025 report also found that a further third (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.

Ian Andrew, CEO of the NTDA, said: “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 report also uncovered regional disparities. Northern Ireland recorded a national average of 21% of vehicles on illegal tyres, with a focused study revealing a staggering 57% non-compliance rate.

In Halesownen in the West Midlands, more than 70% of vehicles found to be illegally equipped – the worst figures ever recorded in UK tyre safety monitoring.

Major urban centres fared badly too. Sheffield showed almost two-thirds (62%) of vehicles at risk, and in Bradford the figure was more than a third (36%).

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.

Stopping distances double in wet conditions on tyres worn below 2mm, while fines of up to £2,500 per tyre and three penalty points are faced by those caught driving illegally.

The NTDA report comes in the wake of separate research from TyreSafe and the RAC, which revealed most drivers do not know if their tyres are illegal.

Only 39% of drivers knew that the minimum tyre tread allowed by law is 1.6mm, leaving the majority (61%) potentially driving on one or more illegal tyres.

Just a third (33%) said they check tyre tread at least every month, with 17% saying they do so every other month and a similar proportion – 15% – only checking them about every six months.

Of those who don’t check their tyres regularly, half (50%) say it is because doing so simply ‘doesn’t cross their mind’, while four-in-10 (40%) say they rely on a garage or mechanic to do it for them.