If your trucks seem to pick up more tire write-ups when the weather heats up, the roadside-inspection data backs you up. Analysis of FMCSA violations from May 2024 through February 2026 shows tire violations rising and falling on a clean seasonal cycle — and the peak lands squarely in the summer.

Across the period, inspectors recorded 343,166 tire violations. But they weren’t spread evenly through the year. Tire citations climb through spring, top out in August (18,299 in 2024), and bottom out in the dead of winter (12,701 in December 2024) — a swing of more than 30% between the busiest and quietest months.

Heat, mileage, and the summer peak

Monthly tire violations, May 2024 – Feb 2026. Shaded bands mark June–August.

The pattern repeats in both years of data. Summer months (June–August) averaged roughly 17,000 tire violations, while the deep-winter months averaged closer to 13,400–15,200. Two forces drive the bump. First, heat: pavement temperatures in July and August punish underinflated and worn tires, turning small defects into blowouts and tread separations that inspectors flag. Second, mileage — summer is peak freight season, so there are simply more loaded miles being run on every tire.

There’s also an enforcement echo. CVSA’s roadside-inspection activity intensifies in late summer, and tires are one of the fastest checks an officer can make. The result is a reliable August spike, year after year.

Texas and California dominate the map

Tire violations cluster heavily in the big freight states. Texas led with 73,537 tire violations, followed by California at 50,015 and Illinois at 29,938. Ohio, Florida, and Pennsylvania round out the top six. Carriers running long summer lanes through the Sun Belt — I-10, I-20, and I-5 in particular  face both the hottest pavement and the heaviest enforcement at the same time.

Small fleets carry most of the risk

Fleets of 1–10 trucks accounted for 192,054 tire violations — about 56% of the total versus 88,076 for mid-sized fleets and 63,036 for carriers with 100+ trucks. Smaller operators tend to run older equipment longer and replace tires closer to the wear line, which leaves less margin when summer heat arrives.

What to do before the next heat wave

Tire violations are among the most preventable citations in the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC. Three moves pay off most:

1. Pull tire pressure checks forward into spring. Don’t wait for the August blitz. A documented pressure-and-tread audit in April or May catches the marginal tires before heat finishes them off.
2. Set a tread-depth floor above the legal minimum. The 4/32″ steer and 2/32″ minimums are where citations start. Replacing at 5/32″ and 4/32″ respectively keeps you clear of the line through a hot summer.
3. Watch your loaded summer lanes. If you run Texas, California, or Illinois in July and August, expect more frequent tire inspections and budget replacement cycles accordingly.

The seasonal pattern is predictable, which makes it manageable. Fleets that move their tire program ahead of the calendar — rather than reacting to the August spike are the ones that keep their CSA Vehicle Maintenance percentile flat through the hottest months.