The UK Towing Safety Alliance (UKTSA) has published a comprehensive four-year analysis of incident data from National Highways’ Strategic Road Network, covering 2022 to 2025. The findings reveal a 23 percent rise in total towing-related incidents, driven primarily by a maintenance crisis affecting utility and commercial trailers. While traffic collisions involving towed vehicles decreased by 17 percent, mechanical breakdowns now constitute 77 percent of all towing-related incidents, highlighting vehicle and trailer condition as the sector's foremost challenge.

The data coincides with SMMT Motorparc 2025 figures showing Britain's vehicle fleet at its oldest recorded level, with average car age reaching 9.7 years. The summer harvest season has also arrived, bringing agricultural trailers back to roads after months of disuse. NFU Mutual research indicates collisions involving agricultural vehicles are 56 percent more likely between May and September, reinforcing the need for pre-journey roadworthiness checks.

Utility and agricultural trailers now account for nearly half of all towing-related callouts, surpassing 3,000 incidents in 2025. Regionally, the North West has overtaken the South East as the most incident-prone area, with trailer failures surging 60 percent since 2022, while the North East recorded a 55 percent increase. A growing divide exists between leisure and commercial towing sectors.

Leisure sector improvements, including fewer horsebox incidents and regional caravan reductions, suggest awareness campaigns are yielding positive results. However, utility trailer failures continue climbing, indicating maintenance standards across commercial and domestic sectors require greater attention. Regular servicing, correct loading and proper coupling remain essential to prevent avoidable incidents.

For working trailers, summer represents peak operational period, with agricultural and utility trailers seeing intensive use while rural roads become busier with tourists and cyclists. The Alliance emphasises that trailers stored for extended periods require thorough inspections before returning to service.

The UKTSA urges all towers to perform three essential checks covering tyres, load and connection before every journey. Tyres must be inspected for pressure, tread and deterioration; loads correctly distributed and couplings and electrical connections verified. The Alliance will place ‘The Working Trailer’ at the centre of safety campaigns, collaborating with industry partners to boost maintenance awareness and reduce preventable breakdowns across the Strategic Road Network.

A spokesperson for the UK Towing Safety Alliance said, “It’s encouraging to see fewer collisions involving towing vehicles, which suggests that drivers are becoming more aware of safe towing practices. However, that progress is being undermined by a growing number of preventable mechanical failures. The challenge is no longer simply about how people tow – it’s increasingly about what they’re towing and the condition it’s in. As both tow vehicles and trailers get older, regular maintenance has never been more important.”

Stuart Lovatt, Chair of TyreSafe, said, “Harvest season places extra demands on both vehicles and trailers, particularly those that may only be used for a few months each year. One of the most common issues we see is tyres that appear to have plenty of tread but have deteriorated through age, weathering or prolonged storage. Whether you’re towing a livestock trailer, plant trailer, horsebox or caravan, tyres should always be inspected for correct pressure, damage, cracking and signs of ageing before every journey. A few minutes spent carrying out these checks can prevent breakdowns and significantly improve safety for everyone using our roads.”

Sarah Smithurst MBE, COO, National Trailer & Towing Association (NTTA), said, “Across the NTTA network, we’re seeing a noticeable increase in enquiries from people looking to refurbish older trailers or source second-hand trailers, including imported models, as a more affordable alternative to buying new. While extending the life of a trailer is often entirely appropriate, it’s essential that owners understand that trailers are not maintenance-free. Many have been in service for years, sometimes decades, and components naturally deteriorate over time, even if the trailer has seen relatively little use. Every trailer should be thoroughly inspected before it returns to the road, with particular attention paid to tyres, brakes, bearings, couplings and lighting. Investing in regular servicing and maintenance is far less costly than experiencing a breakdown – or worse, being involved in an incident. The NTTA continues to help and advice new and old trailer users about safety and many are asking for help when towing, especially the reversing aspect of a trailer, now the B&E test was withdrawn. We are also seeing more trailers being repatriated from North America and Europe rather than purchasing new in the UK.”

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Liberty Tire Recycling partnered with Henry County staff and volunteers for a three-day Tire Amnesty Event at the County Barn last week, during which thousands of scrap tyres were collected from residents seeking free and responsible disposal. The recurring programme, offered every three years, drew a steady stream of vehicles ranging from cars and trucks to trailers and farm equipment, generating sizable piles of tyres and underscoring both strong community participation and the persistent need for proper recycling.

County personnel, including Jason Stanley, Jeremy Raisor, James Nutgrass, Darrell Abbott, Zach Smith and Travis Buchanan, worked continuously to unload and organise tyres as residents arrived. Among those taking part was New Castle resident Charles Miller, who delivered over 100 tyres, many from demolition derby vehicles, and also brought tyres on behalf of several family members so that materials from multiple properties could be recycled.

Photo by The Henry County Local

Stanley reported that turnout substantially exceeded the previous amnesty event held three years ago, with residents arriving consistently throughout the collection period. Such events offer a convenient way to remove scrap tyres that might otherwise accumulate on properties, create safety hazards and serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other pests, thereby reducing environmental risks and advancing sustainable waste management.

Officials applaud the Kentucky Division of Waste Management and its local partners for organising these programmes, noting that states collecting mandatory tyre disposal or recycling fees can reinvest them in amnesty days that channel waste tyres into the recycling stream and deter illegal dumping. While the final tally remains pending, county officials anticipate the total will rank among the most successful amnesty events in recent years.

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Max Verstappen secured his first pole position of the season for the Bahrain Grand Prix, lapping fastest at 1:35.130. Lewis Hamilton took second with a 1:35.428. Pirelli’s Soft compound played a decisive role, as the top three all set their best times on the red-marked tyre. Isack Hadjar originally qualified third but will not start from that grid slot due to a penalty.

Kimi Antonelli, fourth fastest in qualifying, will instead line up third. Hamilton began qualifying on the Medium before switching to the Soft, a strategy mirrored by Charles Leclerc, Nico Hülkenberg and Gabriel Bortoleto. The remaining drivers relied solely on the C4. Verstappen used four new Soft sets and improved his benchmark in the final sector on his last flying run.

Track temperatures peaked at 54°C during FP3 before cloud cover arrived. All three compounds appeared in the session, though most drivers concentrated on the C4. Leclerc alone ran the Hard before moving to a new Soft set. Lando Norris, Oscar Piastri, Verstappen and Hadjar used the Medium, with the reigning champion setting his best time on the C3.

Antonelli topped FP3 at 1:36.302, ahead of Verstappen on 1:36.580 and Hadjar on 1:36.860. The Pirelli Pole Position Award was presented by Alvin Chong, a Malaysian actor and singer recognised across Malaysian and Chinese entertainment.

Dario Marrafuschi, Pirelli Motorsport Director, said, “Track conditions improved progressively throughout the day, allowing the Soft compound to deliver a very competitive level of performance in qualifying. Despite this, lap times remained significantly slower than those predicted by the simulations, indicating that the track evolution was not sufficient to close the gap. In the attempt to extract the maximum potential from the C4 immediately, the degradation generated on the compound meant that no genuinely competitive laps could be completed after the first flying lap today. At the same time, in yesterday’s running it demonstrated that it can maintain an acceptable level of consistency over race distances when it is brought gradually into its correct operating window over the opening laps. This characteristic could prove particularly important tomorrow, given the number of Soft sets retained by several teams.

“Tomorrow’s Grand Prix looks especially interesting from a strategic perspective. Most drivers have two sets of Hard tyres available, which should provide a solid option for the longer stints thanks to their greater thermal resistance and lower degradation compared to the softer compounds. On paper, the Medium-Hard-Hard and Soft-Hard-Hard combinations appear to be among the most competitive. There are, however, some particular situations, such as those of Verstappen and Leclerc, who each have only one set of C2 tyres available and may therefore consider different approaches, making greater use of the Soft and Medium compounds or even evaluating three-stop strategies. In this scenario, the range of possibilities becomes much broader, with shorter stints and increased flexibility. By contrast, we are unlikely to see one-stop strategies, which on paper offer no advantage in terms of total race time at a circuit where overtaking remains possible at several points around the track. Finally, there remains an element of uncertainty related to the weather, with a chance of rain that could influence the teams’ strategic choices.”

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American tyre brand General Tire is marking 111 years since its founding on 29 September 1915, when William O’Neil and Winfred Fouse established the General Tire and Rubber Company in Akron, Ohio. What started as a regional tyre maker has evolved into an internationally recognised brand, especially noted for durable tyres suited to SUVs, off-road vehicles and pickups. Since 1987, the company has operated as part of Continental.

The brand’s history tracks closely with the growth of the North American automotive sector. During the 1920s, General Tire earned attention for its ‘General Balloon Jumbos’, which helped push tyre technology forward. As operations grew, the company widened its international reach and became a supplier to major vehicle manufacturers.

William O'Neil, Founder of General Tire

General Tire and Continental first connected in March 1949 through a cooperation agreement covering the exchange of technical expertise and know-how. By the late 1950s, General Tire had opened a tyre testing facility in Uvalde, Texas, then regarded as the largest of its kind worldwide. Continental’s 1987 acquisition opened a new chapter, giving the parent company a global production and sales network for the first time while allowing General Tire to pair its American heritage with worldwide development and manufacturing strength.

Today, the portfolio spans applications from the Grabber GT Plus road tyre and Grabber Cross A/S all-season tyre to the Snow Grabber Plus winter tyre and the Grabber AT3 Plus and Grabber X3 off-road models, all reflecting performance, reliability and American heritage. For the anniversary, General Tire introduced the next-generation Grabber AT3 Plus, an all-terrain successor to the Grabber AT3 with better snow traction, improved wet-road grip and a tread pattern built for demanding off-road use.

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Dunlop Motorcycle Europe is set to support a star-studded rider roster at this weekend’s FIM Motocross of Nations (MXoN) in Ernée, France, aiming to cap another standout motocross season. The tyre range available to competitors includes the sand-focused Geomax MX14 for loose surfaces, the intermediate Geomax MX34 and the Geomax MX54, which has become the preferred choice across a wide range of intermediate and hardpack tracks.

The company will supply tyres to 32 riders representing 16 nations, drawing talent from the FIM Motocross World Championship, North America’s Supercross and Pro Motocross series and other competitions. The event follows last weekend’s season-ending MXGP of Australia, with many of the sport’s top names returning to action in pursuit of the Chamberlain Trophy.

Dunlop has built a formidable recent record at the MXoN, having equipped riders from every winning nation over the past four editions. Team Australia took consecutive victories in 2024 and 2025, Team France claimed the title in 2023 and Team USA won in 2022. This year, Australia arrives with an entirely new lineup in Jed Beaton, Alex Larwood and Aaron Tanti, while the United States fields an all-Dunlop trio led by three-time 450 cc AMA Supercross champion Cooper Webb, joined by Julien Beaumer and Levi Kitchen.

For France, MXGP runner-up Romain Febvre spearheads the Dunlop contingent and is joined by fellow Kawasaki Racing Team rider Mathis Valin. Two-time MXGP World Champion Jorge Prado will represent Spain alongside newly crowned MX2 World Champion Guillem Farres. A host of other leading MXGP and MX2 competitors will also run Dunlop, including Camden McLellan for South Africa, Liam Everts for Belgium, Pauls Jonass for Latvia and Jeremy Seewer for Switzerland.

The MXoN serves as a fitting finale to a season of significant success for Dunlop across European and North American series. In the United States, Ken Roczen captured his first 450 cc AMA Supercross title on Dunlop, extending the brand’s streak of winning every AMA Supercross and Pro Motocross championship since 2010.

In the FIM Motocross World Championship, Guillem Farres secured the MX2 crown and led Triumph Racing to a one-two finish with teammate Camden McLellan. The pair combined for 11 of 19 Grand Prix victories. In MXGP, Romain Febvre finished runner-up, while Kiara Fontanesi narrowly missed a historic seventh WMX title, winning at Foxhills in July and adding three second-place finishes.

Wim Van Achter, Motorcycle Motorsport Manager EMEA, Dunlop Motorcycle Europe, “The fact that so many top riders continue to choose Dunlop Geomax tyres underlines the Geomax range’s performance credentials. We work closely with top riders to develop new Geomax products, using their feedback to refine our tyre technology. Our most recent innovation, Geomax MX54, makes the Geomax range our strongest and most versatile motocross range yet, drawing on our knowledge from winning top professional championships. With its broader scope, it could be the tyre of choice for Ernée’s traditional hardpack clay circuit this weekend.”

Eddy Seel, MXGP Event Leader, Dunlop Motorcycle Europe, said, “We are honoured that Dunlop Geomax tyres are the products of choice for 32 of the world’s most talented riders representing 16 different nations. The level of competition is always high at MXoN, but Dunlop has a history of success. Our riders have already proven the performance and reliability of the Dunlop Geomax range all season long, so we’re ready to continue with that this weekend. Allez!”

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