Drivers urged to change worn tyres

Motorists risk invalidating their car insurance if they avoid replacing worn and dangerous tyres on time.

It is dangerous and illegal, even in good weather, to wear tyres down to below the legal minimum of 1.6mm in order to save money. In colder and wetter conditions, the dangers increase.

Defective, badly worn and under-inflated tyres could make it tough to stop at a safe distance and reduces the grip on roads. They are also costlier, as worn tyres use up more fuel and add to greenhouse gases.

Research from Protyre revealed that an increasing number of drivers were cutting back on replacing old tyres, with 3.5 million illegal tyres currently in use.

Just under a quarter of wheels removed from cars two years ago were defective either because of damage or from being badly worn. The figure doubled to 55% last year and Protyre estimates it is now 65%.

They attribute the rise mainly to an attempt by hard-pressed motorists to save money by getting a few extra miles on their old tyres.

Companies are offering free tyre safety checks to encourage motorists to check their tyres before the worst of winter.

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