A shocking new study suggests UK motorists are putting lives at risk due to an alarming lack of tyre safety knowledge. As the only point of contact with the road, checking and maintaining tyres is essential in ensuring the roadworthiness of the vehicle and optimising the safety of all road users. Yet fewer than a fifth (19 per cent) of those surveyed check their tyre tread depth every month, which is the recommended frequency.
More than a third of drivers rely on a simple and subjective visual inspection of their tyres, rather than using a proper gauge. Only 29 per cent of drivers say they use such a tool.
Another finding showed that only 36 per cent of drivers knew the correct potential licence penalty for insufficient tread depth (3 points on their licence for each illegal tyre).
On a more positive note, more than half (54 per cent) said they would check their tyres more frequently if they had a mobile app which could measure tread depth. Anyline’s AI-powered scanning technology is one such development that is making this possible – a feature mobile users of WhatTyre can sample via the option to SCAN TYRE within the tyre search.
The findings of the survey of 2,000 UK drivers were released as part of Tyre Safety Month. The research was commissioned by Anyline, a global leader in AI-powered mobile data capture and insights, and UK road safety organisation TyreSafe. It was conducted by Opinium on 6-10 September 2024 weighted to Office of National Statistics (ONS) criteria.
Lukas Kinigadner, CEO and co-founder at Anyline, said: “Defective and worn tyres contribute to too many unnecessary injuries and deaths.
“We believe that many of those casualties could be avoided if drivers knew more about their tyres and had the right tools and technology to make informed decisions themselves.
“That’s why it was important for Anyline to partner with TyreSafe on this project to better understand what drivers really know about tyre maintenance and where education and technology can be applied in the future to make our roads safer.”
The issue of tyre safety was recently underlined in the Department for Transport’s latest ‘Reported Road Casualties Great Britain’ annual report for 2023, which showed a 29 per cent year-on-year increase in killed or seriously injured (KSI) casualties linked to tyre related incidents.
Meanwhile, another key finding from the research was that misconceptions about fines also persist, with many believing the penalty is lower than the actual potential £2,500.
Stuart Lovatt, chair of TyreSafe, said: “This new research provides crucial insights into UK drivers’ understanding and practices around tyre safety.
“It is a critical resource for those looking to enhance road safety by addressing gaps in tyre maintenance practices among UK drivers, which it would appear needs even greater attention.”
With computer vision and AI-enabled technology, Anyline’s mobile scanning solutions allows tyre service centres, manufacturers, distributors and retailers to quickly capture tyre, automotive and customer information from any mobile device, helping customers make informed vehicle maintenance decisions.
WhatTyre is a registered supporter of TyreSafe.
