Inspect your tyres and have a safe T.R.I.P. this autumn

The number of breakdowns recorded on England’s motorways and A-roads has risen by 24% since 2022. At the same time, our research shows that 11% of UK driving licence holders missed or delayed their last MOT, while 17% put off their last scheduled service. And of those, more than half (56%) continued to drive their vehicle.

Tyre-related issues are consistently the biggest cause of breakdowns, accounting for 19% of all recorded incidents in 2025. Yet almost a quarter (23%) of UK driving licence holders say they’ve ignored a tyre-related MOT advisory. For 34%, they didn’t think it was urgent; 28% couldn’t afford the repair; 19% planned to wait until their next MOT or service; and 8% didn’t understand how serious the issue was.

Checking your tyres before every long journey should be part of your routine, not something to put off. As autumn weather sets in, taking a few minutes to check your tyre tread, pressure and condition could help prevent an avoidable breakdown - saving you time, money and hassle.

Before you travel:

allow time to check your tyre treads and get them replaced if there is less than 1.6mm of tread (the legal minimum)
check your tyres’ pressure and ensure they are suitable for the load you are carrying
check the condition and age of all your tyres to make sure they don’t have any cuts, bulges or other damage to the tyre walls

Putting off tyre maintenance might save money today, but it can quickly become a far more expensive problem if it leads to a breakdown.

Find out more about tyre checks.

T.R.I.P. Top-up, Rest, Inspect, Prepare

Play our T.R.I.P. Fill Your Boots game

We’ve created a T.R.I.P. Fill Your Boots online game to show you the simple T.R.I.P. safety checks you should be doing before setting off on a journey.

Play the game and enter now

T

Top-up

fuel, oil, screen-wash

Top-up
Fill up fuel, check your oil and screen-wash, ensure you're charged

Over 33% of breakdowns are caused by vehicles losing power, having engine issues or running out of fuel. Most of these problems can be avoided if you check and top up your vehicle's fluid levels.

Running out of fuel is serious and can leave you in a risky situation.

Before setting out, check your fuel levels and make sure you have enough to get to your destination. Or know where you can stop to fill up.

Check your oil level: use the dipstick to check and top up if required.

Check your screen wash is topped up so you can clear any debris or dirt off your windscreen and ensure you have good visibility.

How to check your vehicle

R

Rest

every 2 hours

Rest
Plan to take a break of at least 15 minutes every 2 hours

Stopping to have a rest contributes to a more enjoyable and stress-free travel experience.

Good preparation starts days before a long trip, especially if you are traveling at an unusual time of day for you. Think about your sleep, rest and overall readiness in the days leading up to the journey.You should also avoid excessive caffeine and alcohol the day before traveling as this can disrupt sleep quality and reduce your alertness the following day.

The risks of not taking regular breaks are:

falling asleep at the wheel
your ability to detect threats decreases, and your reaction time increases
negative effects on your mood and behaviour behind the wheel

I

Inspect

tyres

Inspect
Check tyre tread and car tyre pressure

During the wet autumn weather, checking your tyre pressure, condition and tread depth is even more important.

According to Contintental Tyres, at 50mph, wet braking distances increase by almost two car lengths (6.9m) on tyres with 1.6mm tread (the legal limit) compared to new tyres with 8mm tread.

Before you leave, allow time to check your tyre treads - and get them replaced if there is less than 1.6mm of tread. This can easily be done using a 20p coin. If you're stopped by the police and your tyre treads are less than 1.6mm you could face a £2,500 fine and three penalty points per tyre.

You should check your tyres’ pressure too. Driving with under-inflated or over-inflated tyres can adversely affect your braking distance, steering, fuel efficiency and the lifetime of your tyres. You should look around each tyre to make sure they don’t have any cuts, bulges or other damage to the tyre walls. Older tyres could be cracked or perished, even if the tread depth and pressure are fine.

For more information, read this guidance on tyre labels.

Learn more about tyre maintenance on our vehicle checks page

P

Prepare

for weather

Prepare
for the weather

The weather can have a big impact on your journey, and autumn driving can be unpredictable. Clean windscreens and lights will help with visibility, and a pair of sunglasses can make driving easier when the sun is low. It’s also worth keeping a few essentials in the car like a raincoat, some water, a torch, a blanket and some non-perishable snacks.

Take a moment to check the forecast for your route and destination, so you’re ready for rain, fog or sudden changes in temperature.

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