More Tyre Safety Statistics

The TIC has released further results from last year’s roadside tyre checks that highlight an increase in the number of defective tyres on Britain’s roads.

West Midlands Police has revealed a disappointing seven per cent rise to 17 per cent in the number of cars and vans with defective tyres on the county’s roads.

In similar checks in 2003 10 per cent of vehicles checked had at least one tyre at or below the 1.6mm legal minimum. The survey also showed that the number of vehicles with badly worn tyres measured at 2mm also rose dramatically from 18 per cent in 2003 to 20.3 per cent in 2004.

“We are shocked at this seven per cent increase in the number of defective tyres in the West Midlands,” said TIC secretary Peter Taylor, “and if you add this figure to the number of cars with badly worn tyres, a figure of almost 40 per cent of the cars on the roads of the West Midlands needs at least one tyre replaced for safety reasons”.

London’s results were marginally better with a six per cent reduction, to 12.3 per cent, in the number of dangerous car tyres on the city’s streets.

However, it was not all good news. 61 per cent of motorcycles checked had at least one worn tyre below 2mm.

Matthew Collins, senior road safety officer, for the Corporation of London said, “The event was very successful – dozens of vehicles were stopped and with the help of the Tyre Industry Council we were able to raise drivers awareness to the importance of having good tyres; essential to safe driving”.