DVSA urged to make major MOT rule change over tyre concerns

Experts are calling for changes to the MOT test over fears road users are unaware they are travelling with faulty tyres. Verifleet has thrown its support behind a campaign to tighten the law around tyre safety enforcement.

Under the changes, owners would be required to attend a mandatory follow-up appointment three months after a defective tyre has been spotted by mechanics. Experts warn that tyre safety is only formally checked once a year as part of an annual MOT test. A defective tyre may only result in an advisory, meaning road users can legally drive away from the garage.

Once a vehicle has left the test, there is no way to check if drivers have replaced the tyre until the following MOT test one year later.

Richard Stowe, director of Verifleet, warned leaving it up to the driver to sort out tyre issues may not be enough.

Speaking to Fleet News, he said: “We have the technology and the data to issue simple, targeted reminders after an MOT advisory, yet we leave it entirely to the driver.

“The consequences of that inaction can be fatal. It’s time we treated tyre safety with the seriousness it deserves.”

According to statistics, in 2023 a whopping 1,695 people were killed in accidents where defective tyres were found to have played a significant factor.

More than 139,000 were reported to have been injured in collisions on UK roads due to the same problem.

Defective tyres will have less grip on the road surface, potentially making it harder for road users to steer and brake as effectively as normal.

Road users will also experience longer braking distances which could possibly lead to crashes if motorists are driving too closely to a vehicle ahead.

There is also an increased risk that badly deflated tyres could simply give up, leading to blowouts and loss of control.

Jamie Hassall, executive director at PACTS called out the current testing system and suggested changes were needed.

He said: “It’s clear the current system is not working given the numbers of MOT fails relating to a critical safety element of the vehicle.

“We need a people-centred approach using the safe system to ensure safety critical defects are being picked up earlier and supporting drivers to be safer so the police can focus on those that don’t.”