With the recent release of the UK Government’s 2023 vehicle speed compliance statistics, TyreSafe is issuing a renewed call to drivers to reduce their speed and ensure their tyres are properly maintained. The report highlights a worrying trend of road users exceding the speed limit, especially under free-flowing traffic conditions. In 2023, 44% of car drivers exceeded the speed limit on 30 mph roads, 9% on national speed limit (NSL) single carriageway roads, and 45% on motorways.
These statistics are based on speed data from a sample of the Department for Transport’s Automatic Traffic Counters (ATCs), excluding locations where external factors might restrict driver behaviour. The findings provide crucial insights into driver behaviour under free-flowing conditions, revealing that a significant number of drivers are choosing to speed when not constrained by traffic or road design.
The statistics also reveal that the percentage of cars exceeding the speed limit by over 10 mph was 4% on 30 mph roads, 1% on National Speed Limit single carriageway roads, and 8% on motorways. Alarmingly, the data shows that speed limit exceedance is more prevalent during the night, with 59% of cars exceeding the limit on 30 mph roads and 22% on NSL single carriageways between 6pm and 5am.
Police forensic data supports the importance of tyre maintenance, revealing that tyre defects are a cause of some fatal collisions, particularly where there has been little or no proper maintenance. In addition, with the DVSA estimates there are 2 million MOT failures occurring each year due to tyre defects, with one million classified as dangerous.
TyreSafe’s own Tread Depth Survey in 2023 revealed that over 6 million tyres in the UK have illegal tread each year, which could lead to a fine of up to £2,500 per tyre and 3 penalty points. Which means drivers could significantly reduce their risk of an incident, and enforcement, by performing basic tyre checks and husbandry. In 2023, according to the latest government statistics, 203,801 people were found guilty of a speed limit offence, and a further 1.78 million drivers attended a speed awareness course in the UK, meaning that not only could speeding and tyre related offences cause significant problems and penalties for licence holders, in addition to compromising safety.
TyreSafe uses the ACT acronym to educate drivers and riders about the importance of checking tyres once a month, every month and before work-related or long journeys.
Air pressure – The air pressure of each tyre should also be checked using an accurate gauge. Typically, car manufacturers recommend two different tyre pressures, one for light loads and another for when the vehicle is fully loaded. It’s essential that drivers adjust the pressures to accommodate the load they are carrying. These settings can be found in the vehicle handbook, on reputable internet tyre pressure charts such as the one at tyresafe.org, and often in the vehicle’s fuel filler cap or door sill.
Condition – with a visual check, looking at the overall condition of each tyre to see if anything might have penetrated the tread, such as nails or other objects. If any of these objects, cracks or bulges are present, the driver should seek professional advice immediately.
Tread – drivers should check the tread of their tyres to ensure they are above the UK legal tread depth minimum of 1.6mm. Ideally an accurate tread depth gauge should be used but if this is not available, a 20p coin can be used as a guide. Insert the 20p into the main sections of the tyre and at various points around the circumference – should you see the outer rim at any point, you need to have the tread depth checked as it may be illegal.
Stuart Lovatt, TyreSafe Chair said “Speeding remains a significant contributory factor in road collisions, increasing both the risk and severity of incidents. Our message is clear: reducing your speed and ensuring your tyres are in good condition can greatly reduce the likelihood of an incident.”
