October Is Coming for Your Tyres...
October has arrived, bringing with it everything British motorists love: darker evenings, unpredictable weather and the occasional puddle that's suspiciously deeper than expected.
It's also Tyre Safety Month, and this year's TyreSafe campaign is encouraging drivers to “Act Before You REact.”
And while tyres might not be the most exciting part of your car, they’re worth a little attention. Tyre-related issues were the biggest single cause of breakdowns recorded on England’s motorways and major A-roads in 2025, accounting for 19% of incidents. (RoadSafety 2026)
And according to TyreSafe, more than six million tyres on UK roads have illegal tread each year, while more than two million MOT failures annually involve tyre defects. (TyreSafe, 2026)
So, perhaps five minutes checking them isn't such a bad investment after all.
Three letters - A C T
TyreSafe recommends three simple checks: Air, Condition and Tread.
Air:Check your tyre pressures at least once a month and before longer journeys. Incorrect pressures can affect handling and braking, increase tyre wear and impact fuel consumption. Use the pressures recommended by your vehicle manufacturer – usually found in your handbook.
Condition: Take a walk around the car and actually look at your tyres. Check for cuts, cracks, bulges, embedded objects or anything else that prompts a diagnosis of: “Hmm… that doesn't look right.”
If you're unsure, get it checked professionally.
Tread: As wetter weather arrives, tread becomes even more important. For most cars in the UK, the legal minimum is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tyre, around its entire circumference. (GOV UK, 2026)
Don't simply wait until MOT day to discover yours are getting low.
Doing these three checks is simple enough – and considerably easier than dealing with a flat tyre on a cold, wet October morning.
Unfortunately, your tyres don't get to choose the road...
You can have perfectly maintained tyres and still encounter some of the most frustrating hazards on the road… The pothole. We've all been there. You see it. Then you realise it's too late.
Unfortunately, potholes aren't just uncomfortable. RAC patrols attended 26,048 pothole-related breakdowns in 2025 involving damaged shock absorbers, broken suspension springs or distorted wheels. That's around 71 every single day. And here's the particularly relevant bit for October: 4,999 of those breakdowns happened between October and December. (RAC, 2026)
Autumn and winter can be particularly unkind to our roads. Rain can also disguise potholes as innocent-looking puddles, while water entering cracks and subsequently freezing can contribute to further deterioration of the road surface.
So yes, that puddle ahead might just be a puddle, but how can you be sure?
When the road has other ideas
Good tyre maintenance can help reduce your chances of trouble out there on the roads, but it can't remove every pothole, nail, debris or badly positioned kerb from your journey. Sometimes, despite your best efforts, the road wins.
That's where MotorEasy Tyre Insurance can provide some extra reassurance, with cover for accidental tyre damage caused by things such as punctures, potholes, kerbing and road debris, subject to your policy terms. And because a pothole doesn't necessarily stop once it's finished with your tyre, there's your wheel to think about too.
MotorEasy Alloy Wheel Insurance can help protect against accidental alloy damage, including damage caused by potholes and kerbing.
MotorEasy challenges you
So, here's our challenge for Tyre Safety Month.
Sometime this October – preferably before the weather gets misty again, give your car a 5 minute once over. Your future self will thank you.
- Check your Air.
- Check the Condition.
- Check your Tread.
And while you're down there, give your alloys a once-over too.
Considering millions of tyres on UK roads are estimated to have illegal tread each year, it's a small job that could help you spot a problem before it becomes a much bigger – and potentially more expensive – one.
And then you're ready for whatever October throws at you.
Rain? Fine.
Wet leaves? Fine.
Potholes? Well… nobody said we could perform miracles. But with MotorEasy Alloy Wheel and Tyre Insurance we’ll get you back on the road in no time.
