Easter motoristsurged to checkout their tyres.....

r Extra car journeys putting pressure on tyres

Many motorists will be planning to take the roads as the Easter bank holiday weekend approaches.

But drivers planning their first bank holiday break of the New Year must be aware that their tyres need to be in good condition to ensure that they are safe and legal on the road.

Recent figures have indicated that around 12% of all MOT failures were related to having at least one tyre below the legal minimum tread depth of 1.6mm.

Tyres with less than the legal minimum tread depth place drivers at risk of an accident, particularly on wet roads, when braking can be compromised.

Tyres removed at Micheldever/Protyre locations throughout the UK indicate a worrying disregard for tyre safety with over 50% of tyres illegal.

Micheldever/Protyre has many of their centres open on Good Friday and Easter Monday and will offer motorists visiting any one of the 64 outlets in the UK a free pre-Easter tyre safety check together with advice on tyre care (please check the company’s website at www.protyre.co.uk for full opening times).

This is particularly important at holiday time when cars are likely to be carrying more passengers than normal, as well as being fully loaded.

The company offers the following simple tyre safety advice to motorists setting off on their Easter holiday break:

• Check the correct tyre pressures against the manufacturer’s recommendations. Remember to adjust pressures for load.

• Ensure that tyres have at least 2.5 or 3mm of tread. Remember, the law requires a minimum of 1.6mm tread depth.

• Have steering alignment checked if front tyres show signs of excessive and uneven wear.

• Have front wheels and tyres balanced if there are signs of vibration, wheel wobble or patchy tyre wear.

As motorists are likely to be travelling longer distances over the coming Easter holiday period, Micheldever/Protyre is also advising drivers to remember to take regular breaks of around 15 minutes every two hours at a suitable location to counter tiredness.

“It’s easy to forget to check your tyres with all the other distractions of an Easter getaway, but they are critical to the safety of your vehicle.

“We are inviting motorists to come into their local Protyre outlet for a free tyre check to protect themselves, their families and other road users,” said Phil Pickering, Marketing Manager at Micheldever/Protyre.