Car servicing `recommended for tyre checks'

- 10th April 2009

UK motorists are being advised to visit a car servicing centre to ensure that their tyres are inflated to the correct pressure before heading off on getaways this Easter weekend.

According to the RAC, more than 40 people die on British roads every year because of defective or improperly-inflated tyres.

Spokesman for the group Philip Gomm commented that tyres deteriorate with age.

"Check carefully for signs of cracking and ageing. If in doubt ask an expert. Manufacturers recommend tyres be replaced if they are more than ten years old and drivers can find the date of production stamped into the rubber of the sidewall," he added.

Mr Gomm went on to say under-inflated tyres can cut fuel economy by as much as ten per cent because of the extra resistance with the road.

Earlier this week, auto industry regulator Motor Codes recommended that drivers have their cars serviced to ensure they are in tiptop condition before heading off on long Easter journeys.