During the Easter weekend a lot of families decide to leave their homes and visit relatives and this year is set to be even busier than last year, with 26 million drivers planning journeys over the Easter period. Before hitting the road, motorists are advised by TyreSafe to check their tyres, especially if the weather conditions are not favourable.

One of the main causes for concern is the vehicles driven on underinflated tyres, which costed the British economy last year £600 million in unnecessary fuel costs, as well as increasing the risk of being involved in an incident.

“The four-day Easter weekend offers motorists the chance of a break with their families, which will be all the more enjoyable knowing they’ve taken every precaution to stay safe while travelling. That’s especially true for those who are making longer journeys than they’re used to in a vehicle with a much heavier load than normal,” said Stuart Jackson, TyreSafe chairman.

“Ensuring your tyres are correctly inflated, have no cuts, lumps or bulges, and adequate tread depth can help reduce the risk of incidents on the roads. These simple checks can be crucial to a good Easter weekend,” he added.

What should motorists look at before embarking in their journeys?

Make sure that the tyre air pressure is correct and use an accurate pressure gauge that shows whether or not the tyres are right for the load. Stones and other objects in the tread should also be removed. Bulges, cracks, cuts and embedded objects are cause for concern and need to be checked by a professional.

Lastly, to check your tread use a 20p coin and see whether your tyres’ tread depths are at least 1.6mm. Insert the 20p at several points across and around each tyre. If you can see the coin’s outer rim at any point the tyre is illegal and must be changed immediately.