Tyres remain most overlooked fleet safety and cost risk – Venson

British feet management firm Venson Automotive Solutions has urged businesses to make operational changes now to ensure tyre safety for fleets.

It warned that tyres are one of the most undervalued, yet critical, elements of fleet safety, cost control, and operational efficiency.

DVSA figures in the UK showed that 2.1 million MOT failures were attributed to tyre defects during 2023 to 2024, and 36 per cent of those vehicles had received safety advisories on previous MOTs, yet owners failed to act.

The situation in Ireland is similar, with NCT figures for 2025 showing just over 250,000 cars failed the visual defect test because of problems with their tyres.

Venson said that 172 tyre-related incidents in the UK where people were killed or seriously injured in 2024 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.

Lee O’Neill, operations director at Venson Automotive Solutions, said: “Tyre policies that worked a few years ago may no longer be fit for purpose, particularly as EV adoption increases.

“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 advised that 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, and checking for correct inflation is particularly important for electric vehicles, which often require higher pressures to account for additional weight, according to Venson.