A sharp rise in mechanical failures involving utility and commercial trailers is creating a growing road safety and reliability concern, according to a four-year analysis of National Highways data by charity TyreSafe and the UK Towing Safety Alliance (UKTSA).
The analysis of incidents on the Strategic Road Network between 2022 and 2025 found that towing-related incidents increased by 23%, despite a 17% fall in collisions involving towed vehicles.
Breakdowns now account for 77% of towing-related incidents, pointing to the condition of trailers and towing equipment as an increasingly important problem.
The findings are particularly significant for operators of working trailers, which the alliance says are increasingly being kept in service for longer, often after periods of limited use or storage.
Utility and agricultural trailers now account for almost half of towing-related callouts, with more than 3,000 trailer incidents recorded in 2025.
Trailer failures have risen particularly sharply in the North West, where incidents are up 60% since 2022, while the North East has recorded an increase of more than 55%.
Tyre failures are a major contributor. TyreSafe’s separate analysis shows that tyre-related problems consistently account for between 25% and 28% of breakdowns involving towed vehicles.
Trailer tyre failures now represent 48% of all tyre issues identified in the analysis, with 755 trailer tyre failures recorded.
The North West is again a particular area of concern, accounting for 21% of national trailer tyre issues, with significant concentrations around the M6 and M62 corridors.
TyreSafe chair Stuart Lovatt said the figures demonstrated that improvements in towing behaviour were being undermined by preventable mechanical failures.
“For every four towed vehicles grounded on the side of the road, one is there specifically because of a preventable tyre failure,” he said.
“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.”
The issue is likely to become more pronounced during periods of seasonal activity. Agricultural trailers, plant trailers and other working equipment can spend months out of service before being returned to the road for harvest, construction or other peak periods.
Extended storage can allow tyres to lose pressure and deteriorate, while braking systems, bearings, couplings, suspension and electrical components can suffer from corrosion or age-related wear.
The National Trailer & Towing Association (NTTA) says it is seeing growing interest in refurbishing older trailers and buying second-hand or imported equipment as operators seek alternatives to the cost of new trailers.
Sarah Smith, NTTA chief operating officer said extending a trailer’s working life could be appropriate, but owners needed to recognise that trailers were 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,” she said.
She advised operators to pay particular attention to tyres, brakes, bearings, couplings and lighting before returning older trailers to service.
The UKTSA’s findings also point to a wider ageing-fleet challenge. Older tow vehicles are increasingly being paired with ageing trailers, some of which have changed hands several times or have been imported as second-hand equipment.
For commercial operators, the implications extend beyond road safety, UKTSA is warning. A trailer failure can leave a vehicle and load stranded on a major route, creating delays for the operator and potentially contributing to wider network disruption.
As a result TyreSafe and the UKTSA are putting the “Working Trailer” at the centre of their 2026 safety campaign, with plans to work with trailer manufacturers, hire companies, builders’ merchants, agricultural suppliers and other industry partners.
The organisations are urging operators to carry out basic checks before every journey, including tyre pressure and condition, load security and the trailer’s connection to the towing vehicle.
Particular attention should be given to tyres that appear to have adequate tread but have suffered from age, weathering, cracking or prolonged storage.
The alliance says a greater focus on routine inspection and servicing could help reverse the rise in preventable trailer failures, improving both safety and reliability across the UK’s road network.
TyreSafe is urging all trailer users -particularly those in the North West - to take the following measures, known as A.C.T, before every journey;
1. A = Air Pressure: Ensure tyres are at the manufacturer’s recommended level for the load.
2. C = Condition: Check for bulges, cracks, or embedded objects. For trailers that sit stationary, replace tyres every 6–10 years regardless of tread depth.
3. T = Tread: Ensure tyres at least meet the legal minimum tread depth of 1.6mm
