Tyre condition was the most frequently recorded prohibition defect among HGV trailers inspected by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency in the first quarter of 2026/27.
The DVSA data published on 17 September 2026 shows tyre-condition defects affecting 15.48% of trailers inspected at the roadside or operators’ premises between April and June. Brake systems and components followed at 6.23%, with suspension at 3.48%.
That does not mean 15.48% of every trailer operating in Britain has a tyre defect. Enforcement inspections may be targeted, and the published table measures defects as a percentage of vehicles inspected rather than providing a representative survey of the entire fleet.
Even with that qualification, the ranking is useful. It shows where enforcement checks are finding problems and gives operators a practical prompt to review whether defects are being spotted, reported and repaired before a vehicle leaves the yard.
What the latest figures show
The ten leading trailer prohibition-defect categories for April to June 2026 were:
- Tyre condition: 15.48%
- Brake systems and components: 6.23%
- Suspension: 3.48%
- Spray suppression, wings and wheel arches: 2.85%
- Road wheels and hubs: 2.63%
- Service-brake operation: 2.59%
- Lamps: 2.48%
- Service-brake performance: 1.87%
- Parking-brake performance: 1.67%
- Security of body: 1.63%
Tyre condition increased from 11.72% in the preceding quarter. That is a 3.76 percentage-point rise, but the table alone cannot explain why. Changes in enforcement targeting, vehicle use, weather, the inspected population or underlying maintenance standards could all influence the result.
Operators should not diagnose a national trend from one table. They can, however, compare the categories with their own defect reports and inspection history.
Six actions for stronger trailer checks
1. Make the walkaround meaningful
The DVSA HGV walkaround guide requires more than a quick glance at the unit.
For trailer tyres and wheels, drivers should check that tyres are correctly inflated and free from deep cuts, exposed cord, lumps or obvious separation. Wheels must be secure, wheel fixings checked and debris between twin wheels identified.
Inspection conditions matter. Provide enough time, suitable lighting and safe access to both sides of the trailer. Mud, darkness, parked vehicles or tightly packed yards can make a nominal check ineffective.
Drivers should know what an unacceptable defect looks like and what to do when they find one. A checklist has limited value if commercial pressure encourages the vehicle to leave before the issue is assessed.
2. Record symptoms, not just failures
Defect reporting should capture developing problems as well as obvious failures.
Useful reports may include:
- Repeated pressure loss
- Uneven or accelerated tyre wear
- Cuts, bulges or exposed reinforcement
- Heat, noise or vibration from a hub
- Air leaks or damaged brake lines
- ABS or EBS warning indications
- Damaged wings or spray suppression
- Lamps that work intermittently
- Movement, corrosion or damage around the body structure
Descriptions such as “tyre bad” or “brakes need checking” make diagnosis and audit more difficult. Record the axle, side, component and observed symptom, supported by a photograph where the reporting system permits it.
3. Treat hired and unfamiliar trailers as first-use risks
An operator remains responsible for the roadworthiness of a trailer being used, even when it is hired, leased or borrowed.
DVSA’s Guide to Maintaining Roadworthiness distinguishes a first-use inspection from the driver’s daily check. This is particularly important when equipment has been off the road or comes from outside the operator’s normal fleet.
Before putting an unfamiliar trailer into service, confirm its inspection status, maintenance history, brake information, tyre condition and compatibility with the towing vehicle. Do not assume that another company’s collection note proves roadworthiness.
4. Join driver reports to maintenance records
A reported defect needs a visible route to assessment, repair and closure.
The record should show:
- Who reported the issue and when
- The trailer identification and exact location of the defect
- Whether the trailer was taken out of service
- Who assessed and repaired it
- Parts or tyres fitted
- The roadworthiness decision
- Who authorised its return to service
DVSA guidance says driver defect reports and associated rectification records must be retained for at least 15 months. Digital systems can help, but only if staff use consistent trailer numbers and managers review unresolved or recurring defects.
5. Look for patterns across the fleet
One damaged tyre may be an isolated event. Repeated damage in the same position may indicate something more systematic.
Review defect data by trailer, axle, route, depot and tyre type. Possible contributors include incorrect pressures, alignment, overloading, poor yard surfaces, kerb contact, unsuitable tyre selection or delays between reporting and repair.
The same approach applies to brakes. A repair that repeatedly addresses the immediate symptom without investigating the cause is not an effective maintenance system.
Compare internal data with the DVSA categories, but use the fleet’s own evidence to set priorities. An operator with few tyre reports but repeated lamp failures should not ignore its actual pattern simply because tyres lead the national enforcement table.
6. Audit the checking environment
Managers should occasionally observe a real walkaround rather than judging the system only from completed forms.
Check whether drivers have:
- Enough space to inspect the trailer safely
- A torch and pressure-measuring equipment where required
- Clean, legible identification and warning markings
- A simple reporting method
- Authority to stop a defective trailer
- Access to timely maintenance support
- Feedback on what happened after a defect was reported
Also inspect the cab environment. A clear footwell, working seatbelt, secure doors and unobstructed controls form part of the daily check. Farm Packs supplies heavy-duty lorry seat covers for working cabs, but any cover must suit the actual seat and must not obstruct belts, airbags, controls, sensors or adjustment.
Cab protection can support cleanliness; it does not make the vehicle or trailer roadworthy.
Turn enforcement data into local action
The latest figures do not prove that every fleet has a tyre problem. They do show that tyre condition stood well above other prohibition-defect categories in the trailers DVSA inspected during the quarter.
The useful response is not a one-off tyre campaign followed by a return to normal. It is a maintenance system in which drivers can complete meaningful checks, defects are described accurately, repairs are traceable and managers investigate recurring patterns.
Start by reviewing the last three months of trailer reports against the DVSA top ten. If the records are unusually sparse, unclear or repeatedly show the same defect, investigate the checking process as well as the equipment.
This article provides general information and does not replace operator-licence undertakings, official guidance, competent maintenance advice or a suitable safety-management system.
Sources
DVSA: Top 10 prohibition defects for HGV trailers — updated 17 September 2026
DVSA: Carry out HGV daily walkaround checks — updated 21 September 2023; accessed 17 September 2026
DVSA: Guide to maintaining roadworthiness — updated 28 April 2025
