One in seven tyres (13.6%) removed from UK fleet vehicles over the past 12 months were below the legal tread-depth limit, according to new figures from i247 Group.

The data, presented at an industry round table hosted at the company’s Dorset headquarters last month, was part of a fleet vehicle pilot covering 200,000 vehicle tyre removals.

Equating to 74 illegal tyres removed every single day, the findings highlight a major compliance gap in a sector expected to meet strict duty-of-care standards.

David Legg, director of propositions and partnerships at i247, warned that gaps in routine maintenance could leave fleets exposed to avoidable safety hazards.

“Businesses are at risk of sleepwalking into serious tyre safety risks because simple maintenance checks are not happening. Fleet compliance checks have slipped, particularly since Covid, with more people working from home and not presenting their vehicles regularly in the workplace.”

These risks are underscored by data from the TyreSafe charity, which reported that 201 people were killed or seriously injured in incidents related to defective tyres in 2025, a figure that is 19% higher than the year previous and 28% higher than the five-year average.

The unveiling of the i247 data to round table guests took place during Tyre Safety Month and included senior representatives from Yokohama, the British Tyre Manufacturers’ Association, Halfords, Micheldever, the AA, Alphabet GB, Wessex Fleet and National Highways.

Round table respondents suggested that driver education, routine checks and better use of data would help improve tyre safety.

Graham Mitchell, CEO for Micheldever, commented: “One of the key issues is that people generally don’t care enough about tyres; they expect somebody else to check them at MOT or service. That creates a growing tyre risk because people are now running with a two- or three-year service interval on some vehicles.”

i247 Group’s David Legg suggested better use of vehicle data could help fleet operators identify recurring issues and take a more proactive approach to tyre safety.

He added: “Most people are still only taking odometer and basic information out of telematics. They’re not going to their telematics provider and asking, ‘What else is in there?’ The data’s in there, but people aren’t asking for it.”

The round table also highlighted the tyre implications of the introduction of Euro 7, the EU’s latest emission standard. Confirmed to commence from 29 November 2026 for all new type approvals of cars and light commercial vehicles, it introduces new requirements for tyre abrasion as part of efforts to cut tyre particulate emissions.

The new regulations will bring increased focus on balancing tyre abrasion, safety and performance requirements, with implications for tyre manufacturers and fleet operators. Panellists highlighted that the effectiveness of Euro 7 will depend on how it is enforced.

Carl Naylor, managing director of Yokohama, outlined: “As well-intentioned as this kind of regulation is, how Euro 7 is regulated and enforced is the big question. Until we know the details, it’s very hard to determine what the impact is likely to be, or whether it will achieve the overall environmental objective.”

i247 Group will produce a report capturing the key insights and recommendations from the round table as part of its ‘Better Together’ and ‘Thought Leadership’ commitment to industry collaboration. The insights will help fleet operators consider their own approach to tyre safety and management and will be available free of charge via the i247 Group website.