The Department for Transport (DfT) in the UK has issued a safety recommendation on the use of older tyres on buses and coaches. Tyres over 10 years old should be fitted only to the rear axles of such vehicles as part of a twin tyre combination.

The advice comes in the wake of a fatal accident in September 2012, when  a coach crashed on the A3 due to loss of control following a blow-out. Three people lost their lives and others were seriously injured. The coroner concluded that the catastrophic failure of the left front tyre was the result of deterioration due to its age. It was also noted that there were no obvious signs of tyre defects prior to the incident.

As a precaution, the Department for Transport strongly recommends that tyres over 10 years old should not be fitted to the front axles of buses and coaches. Such tyres should be fitted only to the rear axles of vehicles as part of a twin tyre combination.

The DfT says that finding out the age of a tyre is simple, as tyres manufactured after the year 2000 have a four digit code with the first two digits representing the week of manufacture and third and fourth digits representing the year.

Tyres manufactured before the year 2000 have a three digit code with the first two digits representing the week of manufacture and third digit representing the year. So 258 means week 25 of 1998.