A joint study by The AA and TyreSafe, surveying over 22,000 UK drivers in May and July 2025, reveals a troubling lack of tyre safety awareness and poor maintenance habits. 61 per cent of respondents were unaware that driving on an illegal tyre could incur a fine of £2,500 per tyre, and 45 per cent did not know that each illegal tyre carries three penalty points: therefore, four illegal tyres could result in a driving ban. Only 65 per cent correctly identified the driver as legally responsible for tyre safety, while 34 per cent mistakenly believed it was the car owner.
Knowledge of the legal minimum tread depth (1.6mm) was also low, with only 57 per cent answering correctly. Despite 96 per cent claiming to know how to check tyre pressure, just 30 per cent had done so in the past week. Similarly, only 19 per cent check tread depth weekly, and 15 per cent admitted to checking less than every six months or never.
The research also highlighted demographic disparities: men and older drivers (55-plus) demonstrated significantly better knowledge and maintenance habits than women and younger drivers (18-24). For example, 71 per cent of men knew the driver is responsible, compared to 55 per cent of women and only 43 per cent of younger drivers.
