TyreSafe Welcomes “Landmark” National Road Safety Strategy

TyreSafe Welcomes “Landmark” National Road Safety Strategy as Tyre Safety Gains Official Government Recognition

TyreSafe, the UK’s leading tyre safety charity, has today hailed the publication of the Government’s new Road Safety Strategy (January 2026) as a “hugely significant moment” that ends more than fifteen years without a national framework for road safety.

The charity particularly welcomes the strategy’s formal adoption of the Safe System approach, which treats road safety as a shared responsibility across enforcement, education, and engineering to reduce preventable harm.

First-Ever Official Recognition for TyreSafe

In a historic first, the TyreSafe programme has been explicitly named within the national strategy. The government has confirmed it will pilot a National Work-Related Road Safety Charter for businesses, an initiative that will be directly informed by TyreSafe’s expertise alongside other key agencies such as National Highways and the DVSA.

“Today’s announcement signals a welcome return to evidence-based policymaking,” said Stuart Lovatt, Chair of TyreSafe. “We are particularly encouraged to see tyre safety integrated into the national agenda. While we look forward to supporting the development of the Work-Related Road Safety Charter over its two-year pilot, this is just the beginning. We stand ready to work with government, regulators, and industry to ensure tyre safety remains a central pillar of occupational road risk and beyond.”

A Critical Safety Gap

The recognition comes at a critical time for UK road safety. TyreSafe highlights that over the last five years, an average of 153 people have been killed or seriously injured (KSI) annually in incidents involving defective tyres, with that figure rising to 172 in 2024—well above the long-term average.

Further data underscores a worrying level of complacency among motorists:

• 2.1 million MOT failures were attributed to tyre defects in 2023–24 alone.

• 36% of those vehicles had previously received safety advisories at their prior MOT, yet owners failed to act.

• One in five motorway breakdowns continues to be caused by tyre-related issues.

Moving Toward a Safer System

While TyreSafe applauds the strategy’s ambitious targets—including a 65% reduction in KSIs by 2035—the charity is calling for even greater emphasis on day-to-day vehicle maintenance.

“If we are serious about protecting the public, well-maintained vehicles must be recognised as fundamental to a safe system, not a peripheral consideration,” added Lovatt. “Tyres are one of the most critical—and most overlooked—safety components on every vehicle. This strategy gives us a framework to build on, and we must now ensure it evolves so that defect prevention plays a central role in reducing avoidable harm on UK roads.”

TyreSafe will continue to support the government’s aims for Lifelong Learning and maintain its strong partnerships with Devolved governments and local authorities to deliver these life-saving outcomes.