Tyre Safety Month 2026: How to Check Your Taxi Tyres and Why It's Important
As the main point of contact between your taxi and the road surface, tyres are an incredibly important aspect of ensuring safety on the road for both yourself and others.
It's often easy to overlook the importance of tyres on any vehicle considering the crucial role they play in providing the only point of contact between the car and the surface of the road. They're designed to be hard-wearing and durable, so you may not notice the gradual change of wear in time.
But in a profession that involves high-mileage and a regular mix of passenger weight in the rear seats, a well maintained set of tyres will not only ensure the trip is a comfortable one for both yourself and your fares, they will perform to the best of their ability in unforeseen hazardous moments.
Tyre Safety Month 2026 - Act Before You React
October is Tyre Safety Month, an initiative conceived by the TyreSafe charity that aims to raise awareness of the integral role tyres have in ensuring safety for yourself and others on the road. Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2026, TyreSafe has launched the 'Act Before you REact' campaign.
It's a message centred around research that suggests there is a a margin between how confident a driver is versus the knowledge of the legal limit.
Only six per cent of road users surveyed could correctly identify the stopping distance of a vehicle in wet conditions at motorway speed, yet 83% feel they are in full control of stopping distance.
Why is Tyre Safety Important?
- 83% believe they are in full control of stopping distance but only 6% correctly identify the stopping distance in wet conditions at motorway speeds
- 38% of people experienced a near-miss within the last 12 months, but only 11% checked their tyres afterwards
- 22% admitted they did nothing at all following a near miss
As a result, TyreSafe are encouraging people to spend a few minutes checking the air pressure, condition and tread every couple of weeks, to keep your taxi performing in a way that is both safe and more economical.
Keep Your Taxi's Tyres Safe This Winter
Snow and ice can make it incredibly difficult for your taxi’s tyres to maintain a good grip.
In the winter months, you can expect the roads to be wet or damp more often, but once this water freezes overnight this can lead to ice, making surfaces slippery and causing regular changes in grip to react to.
Moreover, ice can be difficult to see on the road in time to take action if needed, meaning it is even more important for your tyres to stand the best chance of maintaining grip on the straight and narrow.
It’s important to reduce your speed and drive carefully in these conditions to avoid the wheels on your taxi locking or skidding due to friction.
Here are some things you can do to make sure the tyres on your taxi are safe this winter:
- Make sure they are correctly inflated (and not over or underinflated)
- Park your taxi on a flat surface if possible, or in a garage overnight
- Change your taxi’s tyres if you spot any signs of damage, no matter how small
- Watch out for any punctures, cuts or bulges in your tyr
How to Check your Taxi’s Tyres
When checking the tyres of your taxi, you’ll need to inspect the tread depth – for example, how deep the grooves in your tyres are. To remain road-legal, your tyres must have 1.6mm of tread depth remaining across breadth of the tyre.
Here’s how to can check your taxi’s tyres to see whether they are roadworthy:
- Take a 20p coin and slot it into the grooves of your taxi’s tyre
- If you can see the outer band of the coin, your tyres are above the legal limit and no action is required
- If you can see the band, then your tyres may need replacing
There are other ways you can check your taxi’s tyres, including using tyre tread wear indicators or a tyre tread depth gauge.
Tyre tread indicators are sometimes embossed on the tyre wall as a guide, with some form of mark indicating the outer tread. If your tyre is level with these markings, then it’s time for a replacement.
Tyre tread gauges are special tools used to measure each individual tyre groove by inserting it into the grooves of your tyre.
Whichever method you choose, as a taxi driver you’ll need to complete these checks more regularly since you’ll be driving more than normal drivers. Consider checking your taxi’s tyres at least once a month or every two weeks, especially before longer journeys such as airport runs.
Why is it Important to Check Your Taxi’s Tyres?
As a taxi driver, it’s more important than ever to check your taxi’s tyres regularly. Every day, you are responsible for the safety of numerous passengers who enter your taxi.
Just as it’s your responsibility to make sure all passengers are wearing seatbelts, it’s also up to you to make sure your taxi is safe to drive at all times.
With a £2,500 fine per tyre and three penalty points, illegal tyres could have a serious impact on both your finances and reputation as a taxi driver.
By checking your taxi’s tyres regularly, you can avoid getting into trouble with the law and make sure your taxi is fit for business.
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