Tyres and high temperatures: an extreme challenge for hauliers in a burning Europe

The summer of 2026 is proving relentless. While Spain and much of western Europe endure one of the most intense heatwaves on record—with more than 100 million people exposed to temperatures above 35 degrees and historical records falling in countries like the United Kingdom and France—heavy vehicle drivers are facing a silent but devastating enemy: the asphalt. It is not the heat of the air that most threatens a tyre, but the actual temperature of the road surface, which on scorching sunny days can exceed 60 and even 80 degrees Celsius. This extreme heat, specialists warn, turns tyres into the most critical weak point and, often, the most neglected part of a truck.

Heat is not a mere nuisance for rubber; it is an agent that accelerates its ageing and multiplies the risks of serious breakdowns. The Spanish Association of Collaborating Entities of the Administration in the Technical Vehicle Inspection (AECA-ITV) issues a clear warning: high asphalt temperatures increase internal tyre pressure and accelerate the deterioration of the rubber compound, which exponentially increases the danger of cracks, deformations, and even blowouts while in motion. “Extreme heat is one of the main enemies of tyres,” they stress, recalling that it is common to find tyres with incorrect pressure or irregular wear during summer inspections—issues that could have been avoided with a simple pre-trip check. Indeed, under these conditions, a tyre with any prior defect becomes a ticking time bomb.

Faced with this scenario, experts from Continental, one of the leading manufacturers, insist that the key lies in prevention and choosing the right tyre. For them, pressure checks are the most important action and, paradoxically, the most neglected. The golden rule is clear: pressure must always be checked when cold, even on the hottest days, and adjusted strictly according to the manufacturer’s indications, which usually vary depending on the vehicle’s load. Too low a pressure causes overheating and premature wear, while excessive pressure makes the rubber stiffer and more vulnerable to impacts from hot asphalt. Furthermore, they recommend opting for specific summer tyres, designed to offer greater grip and stability on scorching pavement, since “the road surface can exceed 80 degrees on the hottest days.”

But tyre care goes beyond the pressure gauge. On these extreme heat days, transport specialists advise drivers to intensify visual inspections of the tyres before each route, paying special attention to tread depth—which must not be less than 5 millimetres on trucks—and to the appearance of any cuts, bulges, or deformations on the sidewalls. Likewise, it is essential to plan routes avoiding the central hours of the day, when the sun hits the asphalt most fiercely, and to schedule more frequent stops to allow the tyres to cool down. “Checking tyre pressure before starting each route can make the difference between a breakdown and an incident-free delivery,” stress the team at Conde Fernández Hermanos, who remind that a failure on the road not only endangers the cargo but also the driver’s own safety.

The impact of this thermal crisis is not limited to vehicle mechanics; the driver’s health is also in the spotlight. Truck cabins, with 35 degrees outside, can reach 50 degrees in just half an hour and hit 60 if the stop is prolonged. This heat hell directly affects the professional’s reaction capacity. The Dutch club ANWB warns that driving with the cabin at 35 degrees can affect the body’s reactions in a way comparable to driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.5 per mille. It is not just a matter of comfort; it is a road safety problem that adds to the mechanical stress placed on tyres and the rest of the vehicle’s components.

In the face of this perfect storm, transport operators cannot afford to improvise. The heatwave is already a structural reality of the European summer, and transport professionals must incorporate tyre care as a non-negotiable part of their daily routine. As Nick Long, Commercial Director for the UK at SNAP, sums it up, “the transport of goods does not stop when temperatures rise, but extreme heat can put significant pressure on drivers, vehicles, and the supply chain in general.” The only possible response, all specialists agree, is a proactive approach: constant cold-pressure checks, thorough visual inspections, choosing summer tyres, and driving with awareness of the limits imposed by the burning asphalt. The cargo, safety, and the driver’s own life depend on it.