Fleet managers and company bosses have been urged to make sure the tyres on their vehicles are safe.

Campaign group TyreSafe has warned that 12 per cent of the cars and vans on Britain's roads have at least one defective tyre.

Another 12 per cent are thought to have a tyre with a tread depth of less than 2mm. The legal minimum is 1.6mm.

The group is concerned that balding tyres could pose a major safety risk and that bosses are failing in their duty of care by not taking pre-emptive action. New corporate manslaughter legislation means they could face criminal prosecution in the event of an accident.

"Tyres are often forgotten about, and therefore the new legislation is a wake-up call for all those who do not take enough care for the condition of their tyres," TyreSafe said.

"Now that there is someone watching over drivers, we hope that the rate of defective tyres will be significantly reduced as people realise the huge importance that tyres play in vehicle safety."

Balding tyres can reduce the level of control a driver has over their vehicle and contribute to accidents.

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