Stagnant road safety and surging tyre defects are causing a continued rise in defective tyre casualties, further reinforcing the vital importance of tyre safety. Lifting its head above the parapet to highlight the importance of urgent action is tyre safety expert Tyron Runflat. The business is calling for the UK Government to act now to decrease road traffic accidents for the rest of 2026.
Latest data from the Department for Transport found across all severities, tyre related casualties in 2025 rose by 14 per cent to 667, while the number of reported collisions involving tyre defects increased by 8 per cent to 447. Within the most severe category, killed or seriously injured (KSI), tyre related casualties rose by 19 per cent from 2024 to 2025. The sharp increase in casualties has prompted calls for vehicle maintenance to receive greater attention within the Government’s Road Safety Strategy.
Leading the charge for change is tyre safety charity, TyreSafe, which is calling for urgent action. As proud partners of TyreSafe, Tyron Runflat is showing its support for greater tyre regulations from the Government to buck the worsening five-year trend.
Peter Simson, Director at Tyron Runflat, said: “The five-year average for tyre-related KSIs has now risen to 163, compared with the previous five-year average of 150. These shocking statistics have to be a huge wakeup call for those in positions of power, but we fear the time to act is passing us by. We can’t afford to let these figures continue to slip, we’re talking about the loss of life, which we feel could have been prevented. We’re proud supporters of TyreSafe and firmly back their call to Government to adopt the DVSA’s annual 2 million MOT tyre failures as a key Safety Performance Indicator (SPI) to prevent avoidable harm.
“Going one step further, the latest figures also expose a second gap – drivers need protection from the moment a tyre fails unexpectedly. Preventative maintenance and regular driver checks are the critical first line of defence, but having additional safety measures when an unexpected failure occurs adds a vital layer of protection within the Safe System framework. That’s why we’ve made it our mission to develop our Tyron Multiband, which can be fitted to prevent the loss of life when a tyre fails.”
Stuart Lovatt, Chair of TyreSafe, said: “These latest figures should be a wake-up call for everyone involved in road safety. A 19% increase in tyre-related KSI casualties in a single year, taking the five-year average from 150 to 163, shows that we are not making the progress needed to prevent avoidable harm on our roads.
“The increase is particularly concerning because tyres are a fundamental part of vehicle safety, yet defects are often preventable through straightforward checks and maintenance. With more than 2 million MOTs failing each year because of tyre-related defects, there is a clear opportunity to intervene before a vehicle defect becomes a serious incident.
“The Government’s Road Safety Strategy rightly recognises the importance of a Safe System approach, but vehicle roadworthiness needs to be a much stronger part of that picture. We need better use of MOT defect data, greater awareness among road users and sustained action to encourage people to check their tyres regularly and ensure they are legal and fit for the journey.
“The latest figures show that we cannot afford to wait for these trends to reverse themselves. Preventing tyre-related collisions must be a priority if we are serious about reducing KSIs and delivering the Government’s 2035 road safety ambitions.”
Established in 2001, Tyron Runflat is the inventor of the world’s only multi-piece rubber runflat. Tyron’s solutions include simple, lightweight and inexpensive Multibands that lock the deflated tyres on the wheel, allowing the vehicle to keep moving for over 100km. Tyron provides mobility and safety during and after tyre deflation, allowing the driver to seek a safe place for assistance.
Peter added: “Tyre failures put hundreds of lives at risk, but the danger doesn’t end when the vehicle stops. Motorway hard shoulders, smart motorways, rural roads, blind bends and high-speed routes are all incredibly dangerous scenarios for a stationary car and driver. Ensuring drivers can reach a place of safety should be a key element to tyre safety technology – the risk to life doesn’t stop until the vehicle has reached a safe location.
“The five seconds after a tyre blowout can be the real difference between life and death. Maintaining a firm grip on the steering wheel, avoiding sudden braking, reducing speed and moving to a safe stopping location are all key, and having dedicated tyre safety systems in place offers drivers an extra level of reassurance.”
Supplying its tyre safety systems to police forces, defence vehicles, commercial vehicles and civilians across the UK, Tyron understands the unique operational challenges facing each sector which is why it continues to develop innovative solutions that help to keep vehicles moving safely, even in the most demanding conditions.
