Reviewing your tyre strategy will deliver real benefits across safety, efficiency, and total cost of ownership, says Venson
Venson Automotive Solutions is applauding Government’s move to officially recognise leading tyre safety charity, TyreSafe, as a strategic partner in its Road Safety Strategy, but urges businesses to act now, not wait for policy changes[i]. The company warns that tyres are one of the most undervalued, yet critical, elements of fleet safety, cost control, and operational efficiency.
DVSA figures show that 2.1 million MOT failures were attributed to tyre defects during 2023-2024, and 36% of those vehicles had received safety advisories on previous MOTs, yet owners failed to act[ii]. The 172 tyre-related incidents where people were killed or seriously injured in 2024[iii] demonstrate that failure to manage tyres is putting fleet drivers and other road users at risk.
Despite fleets investing heavily in vehicle technology, electrification, and compliance, Venson says tyres are too often overlooked in fleet strategies, and businesses need to play their part in educating drivers about tyre safety.
“Tyre policies that worked a few years ago may no longer be fit for purpose, particularly as EV adoption increases,” advises Lee O’Neill, Operations Director at Venson Automotive Solutions. “EVs are placing additional demands on tyres due to increased vehicle weight and instant torque, which can accelerate wear if tyre selection and maintenance are not managed correctly. Having the right advice is critical in keeping drivers safe.”
While the legal minimum tread depth remains 1.6mm, Venson says fleets could take a more pragmatic approach to tyre replacement. For instance, if a vehicle is already in for servicing, replacing tyres from 2mm can be sensible, avoiding downtime on high-mileage vehicles. Meanwhile the importance of weekly checks by drivers cannot be underestimated for leased or purchased vehicles. Looking for pressure issues, uneven wear, and visible damage. Correct inflation is particularly important for electric vehicles, which often require higher pressures to account for additional weight.
With an eye on SMR budgets, Venson cautions against blanket adoption of all-season tyres and wide-spread use of winter tyres. While they can deliver benefits, they are costly so a review of the operational requirements of the vehicle needs to be carried out first, for example, does it need to be in service 24/7/365. When it comes to tyre make and quality, Venson advises fleets to focus on real world operating costs, rather than brand labels. The distinction between premium, mid-range and budget tyres is not always clear cut and in practice, tyre damage is often caused by kerbing, potholes, and poor road conditions. It is also critical that vehicle use and age/mileage is considered, as investing in premium tyres might not deliver maximum benefit and unnecessarily increase SMR spend.
Concludes Lee O’Neill, Operations Director at Venson Automotive Solutions, “Fleet professionals, company car and vans drivers can spend hours looking for, test driving and speccing their next vehicle. However, it is almost a racing certainty that in searching out the very latest technology and available ‘bells and whistles’, the one feature they probably ignore is tyres.
“Yet, tyre management represents a significant opportunity for fleets to improve safety, reduce downtime and better control costs, particularly during the transition to electric vehicles. Tyres may not be the most glamorous part of managing a vehicle fleet, but they are one of the most important. A proactive tyre strategy can deliver real benefits across safety, efficiency, and total cost of ownership to those fleets willing to invest the time.”
For further information read our white paper ‘Tyres From Formula Motorsport to Fleet’
[i] https://www.tyresafe.org/about-tyresafe-latest-news-road-safety-strategy/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
[ii] https://businessmotoring.co.uk/two-million-mot-failures-attributed-to-tyre-defects-in-2024/#:~:text=36% of those vehicles received,a lack of risk awareness.
[iii] https://www.tyresafe.org/?gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=11894401166&gbraid=0AAAAADL0fzrrBj6WREFc7BTM7-HAGI0hl&gclid=Cj0KCQiAhOfLBhCCARIsAJPiopPd7XUf4Khstt3rWuQsu1bOJ-kTQGVVGoKW_6O4ocIUbEdtopDvWOcaAmdyEALw_wcB