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October's Tyre Safety Month provides a timely reminder that the four contact patches connecting a vehicle to the road remain among its most important safety components.
Today's tyres must contend with increasingly powerful vehicles, changing weather conditions and, with the rapid growth of electric vehicles, EVs, differences in weight and torque. This makes regular tyre inspection increasingly important – and an annual MOT should never become the only time tyres receive attention.
Tyres remain a significant cause of MOT defects. The latest DVSA figures show that between April and June 2026, 6.55% of Class 3 and 4 MOT tests recorded a tyre defect. More concerningly, 4.64% recorded a dangerous tyre defect.
For most passenger cars, the legal minimum tread depth in the UK is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre and around its entire circumference. Pressure, condition, tread wear, cuts, bulges and uneven wear should all form part of regular checks throughout the year.
TyreSafe's 2026 Tyre Safety Month campaign highlights the disconnect that can exist between driver confidence and vehicle preparedness. Its latest research found that 94% of motorists underestimate stopping-distance risk and just 6% correctly identify stopping distance in wet conditions at motorway speeds.
In addition, 38% said they had experienced a near miss during the previous 12 months, yet only 11% checked their tyres afterwards.
As temperatures fall and roads become increasingly wet, icy or covered in leaves and surface debris, drivers inevitably have less margin for error.
Tread isn't simply there to determine whether a tyre is legal. Its grooves perform the crucial task of displacing water from beneath the tyre so the rubber can maintain contact with the road.
As tread wears, the tyre's capacity to disperse water reduces. If water cannot be evacuated quickly enough, a layer can form between the tyre and road surface, potentially causing aquaplaning and a loss of steering, braking and acceleration control.
Tyre pressure also deserves attention. Pressures should be checked when tyres are cold and adjusted to the vehicle manufacturer's recommendation. Incorrect inflation can affect the tyre's contact with the road, handling, braking, wear and efficiency.
These fundamentals apply to every vehicle, but EVs introduce additional considerations.
Electric vehicles carry additional weight from battery packs, while electric motors can deliver significant torque immediately. Both characteristics can place particular demands on tyres.
Correct load rating, inflation pressure, alignment, tyre condition and tread depth all remain essential.
Perhaps the biggest opportunity presented by Tyre Safety Month is to change the perception that tyre condition is something checked once a year.
An MOT certificate confirms that a vehicle met the required standard at the time it was tested. It does not guarantee that its tyres will remain safe for the following 12 months. Tyres are continually wearing and can also be damaged between inspections.
A simple monthly routine covering air pressure, condition and tread can identify developing problems early. EV drivers should pay particular attention to unusual or uneven wear and ensure tyres are suitable for the vehicle's load and performance requirements.
Garages and tyre retailers can reinforce that message whenever a vehicle enters the workshop, irrespective of whether it has been booked in for tyre work.
October provides an important opportunity not simply to sell replacement tyres, but to educate motorists about the role their tyres play in keeping them safe.
As vehicle technology evolves, the basic physics of keeping a car on the road does not.
Whether petrol, diesel, hybrid or electric, every acceleration, steering input and braking manoeuvre ultimately has to be transmitted through the tyres.
The message to motorists ahead of winter is therefore straightforward: don't wait for an MOT failure, warning light or near miss to think about your tyres.
Check them regularly, understand what your vehicle requires and replace them when necessary – because when grip is needed most, those four contact patches are all that connect the vehicle to the road.
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