Motorists urged to check tyres before setting off on their bank holiday

National Highways are urging motorists to check their tyres and plan their journeys before setting off this bank holiday.

Research commissioned by National Highways shows that only one in six drivers check their tyres before setting off on a long journey, meaning some could be taking to the road with a potentially serious vehicle defect. To underline the risks, separate figures show that a fifth of motorway breakdowns are caused by worn or incorrectly inflated tyres.

Many motorists will often put off tyre repairs to save on costs, but this is a false economy - as it is actually cheaper to replace worn or damaged tyres where necessary, rather than waiting to face a burst tyre and having to be towed off the motorway.