Tyre Safety Month 2026: Essential Checks Before Autumn Journeys

October is Tyre Safety Month. Check pressure, tread and condition before autumn journeys, and understand why a valid MOT does not replace regular checks.

Tyre Safety Month runs throughout October 2026. It is a timely reminder to check your tyres before darker evenings and autumn journeys, rather than waiting for an annual MOT to reveal a problem.

The national campaign encourages regular checks of pressure, condition and tread. Here is how to turn that reminder into a practical routine for your own car.

What to check this October

TyreSafe recommends checks every month and before longer journeys. Its 2026 campaign runs from 1–31 October and focuses on preparing for unexpected situations on the road.

• Pressure: use an accurate gauge and the pressures specified for your car and its load, rather than a figure borrowed from another vehicle.
• Condition: look for cuts, bulges, cracks and objects embedded in the tread. Ask a tyre professional about damage or anything you cannot assess confidently.
• Tread: check around the tyre, not just the easiest section to reach. For cars, the legal minimum is 1.6mm across the central three-quarters of the tread and around the full circumference.

Does a valid MOT mean my tyres are still safe?

No. Your car must remain roadworthy between tests. Tyres can wear or suffer damage after the inspection, and a current certificate does not remove the driver's responsibility to check the vehicle.

A simple visual inspection is useful, but it cannot reveal every fault. If you notice a change in handling, vibration or pressure loss, arrange an assessment rather than assuming the tyre is fine because it passed previously.

Make checks easier to remember

Put a recurring reminder in your calendar and keep the manufacturer's pressure information somewhere easy to find. A regular routine makes it less likely that a check will be forgotten during a busy week.

Before a longer journey, allow time to deal with anything you find. Discovering a concern on the morning you need to leave can make it harder to arrange help without disrupting your plans.

What should I do if I find damage?

Get professional advice before continuing if you are concerned about a tyre's condition. Do not assume that topping up the pressure will resolve damage or make an unsafe tyre suitable for use.

Tell the workshop which tyre is affected, what you noticed and whether the pressure warning has returned. Useful details help the technician assess the issue; they are not a substitute for examining the car.

Use the campaign as a maintenance reminder

Tyre checks complement servicing and the MOT rather than replacing either. Review your service schedule and MOT expiry date alongside the tyres, so that each part of maintenance has its own plan.

For drivers in Southampton and elsewhere, the useful action is the same: check the car you actually drive and seek help with faults instead of waiting for the next scheduled test.

Related articles

• Wheel balancing vs wheel alignment
• Booking an MOT and car service together
• What is included in a car service?

Sources

• TyreSafe: Tyre Safety Month 2026 campaign
• GOV.UK: checking your vehicle is safe to drive

Published 6 October 2026. The accompanying image is an original AI-generated illustration, not a photograph of a customer vehicle.