Almost 15% of vehicles on Belgian roads are driving around with unsafe tire combinations. Mobility federation Traxio reached this conclusion based on a survey of 1,000 drivers conducted last summer.

The general condition of car tires, however, has improved, Traxio says. The Rolling Wheel study was carried out by the Federtyre (the Belgian federation of tire specialists) and Pneuband (the technical committee of tire manufacturers) sections.

Traxio calls the inhomogeneous tire fitments on the axles of nearly 15 percent of vehicles “alarming.” “This poses a dangerous situation for more than 900,000 vehicles on Belgian roads,” the organization says.

Homogeneous

Tires on the same axle should always be homogeneous. This means that the tires on both sides of an axle – left and right – should have the same characteristics in terms of size, brand, type, season category, load index, speed rating, and tread depth. This is not the case in almost 15% of the cars checked.

For example, during the inspection, a seasonal category discrepancy – a combination of summer tires, winter tires, or all-season tires on the same axle – was found on 3.5% of vehicles. “This combination is not only unsafe, but also legally prohibited,” Traxio stated.

“A ‘mix’ of tires is a direct threat to road safety,” says Traxio spokesperson Filip Rylant. “Tires with significantly different characteristics also undermine the proper functioning of electronic safety systems.”

Positive trend

However, a clear positive trend was also observed during the summer survey. The number of tires with damage and excessive wear had decreased compared to previous years.

There were 2.1% fewer vehicles with at least one tire in poor condition, 4% fewer with irregularly worn tires, and 2% fewer vehicles with at least one tire with a tread depth below the legal limit of 1.6 mm. This certainly demonstrates that the tire industry’s awareness campaigns are having a positive impact.

“Belgian drivers today are more aware of the importance of good tire condition,” concludes Filip Rylant. “Yet, more than 600,000 drivers still require a professional tire check. People need to realize that tires are the only point of contact with the road.”