Poor tyre maintenance was the most common reason for car accidents in Britain last year, new figures published by the Department for Transport (DfT) have revealed.
Across the 12-month period, 446 accidents were linked to defective tyres, beating faulty brakes to the top spot by 81.
Low pressures, tread that has worn below legal limits and damage are listed as the main tyre issues, suggesting many motorists are neglecting to regularly check the condition of their car’s tyres.
Andrew Jervis, co-founder of car repair website ClickMechanic, recommended better and more regular maintenance to reduce the chances of tyre failures or blowouts.
“Some UK drivers are not servicing their car regularly or conducting simple checks, such as measuring the air pressure in the tyres,” he said. “All drivers should follow their manufacturer’s recommended schedule and ensure that any anomalies are assessed by a professional as soon as possible.”
Jervis's comments echo those of TyreSafe, a UK organisation that promotes tyre safety. Earlier this year, it produced the results of a study that suggests the purchase of part-worn tyres was also contributing to issues, with 58% of tested used tyres having defects.
Chairman Stuart Jackson said: “Motorists depend on tyre dealers to supply and fit this safety critical component in a roadworthy and legal condition but are instead being duped into buying a product that could potentially be life-threatening. Even if sold legally, TyreSafe urges Britain’s motorists not to buy part-worn tyres for the sake of their own safety and other road users.”
Despite tyres ranking top for cars, of all vehicles – including bikes, buses and bicycles – the DfT’s figures showed that faulty brakes were the most common reason for collisions. Defective steering or suspension was the next most common contributor, ranking higher than poorly and over-loaded vehicles.
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How reliable is this data source?
Where is the back story to this "news"?
What was the history, annual data going back to when data started to be collected?
How important were legal but worn tyres? Tyre damage directly attributable to poor road maintenance?
Vehicles without MOT?
There should be some important learnings here rather than Parroting a DfT PR release.
Make routine maintenance part of the driving test
If mechanical knowledge was required before allowing people to drive cars, it would cut accidents caused by faulty tyres and brakes.
How many people do you know who can’t check oil, fill a washer bottle, change a wiper blade, or even spot when they have a flat or worn tyre?
It seems crazy that we let people drive at high speed in a vehicle they barely understand.
@HiPo289
Interesting point: I suspect the number of drivers who check their own vehicle before travelling is at an all time low.
Too many drivers seem view cars as white goods and have no understanding of even the most basic maintenance requirements - I've even come across people who think their tyres (and pressures) only need to be checked once per year, at the MOT!!
Surely this article is just wrong
Everyone knows that most accidents are caused by bad driving. I'm sure that what's meant is that poor tyre maintenance is responsible for most mechanical defect accidents, which isn't quite the same thing. I'm not suggesting that tyre maintenance isn't important, just that driver inattention and misjudgement is way way more important.
So check your tyres regularly, but make sure that your concentration behind the wheel never lapses for even a second!