Dangerous tyres

Nov 13 2009 Maurice Glover

Dangerous tyres

ONLY one third of the cars on British roads are being driven with correctly inflated tyres, claims Michelin.

The rest are being used with pressures so low that road safety is being put at risk.

Company staff were amazed to find that survey results revealed 36 per cent of motorists use tyres so under-inflated that they are classified as dangerous or very dangerous - and shocked to discover that six per cent of cars are being used even they though they have punctures.

The alarming results emerged after the tyre firm checked thousands of cars in a 'fill up with air' campaign staged over three months in 24 cities.

'Our findings show a deterioration compared with checks that were carried out last year, when UK motorists ranked among the worst for tyre safety in Europe," said spokesman Peter Selling.

'We think this could well be due in part to the economic climate as drivers try to make savings wherever they can. But overlooking the condition of tyres is a false economy. Tyres that are incorrectly inflated, bald or damaged are dangerous. They can lead to fatal crashes and lives must not be sacrificed for the sake of saving a few pounds.'

'And the fact that under-inflated tyres need more fuel to overcome increased rolling resistance means drivers who fail to make regular checks end up paying more at the filling stations. With fuel prices hurting everyone and the overall cost of motoring rising, it makes so much sense to regularly attend to the simple task of checking the pressures once each month,' he added.