Motorists urged to check their tyres

Millions of motorists will be taking to the roads as the school holidays begin and the Easter bank holiday weekend approaches. Research has shown that Brits are shunning Eurozone holidays this year in favour of staying in the UK, which puts more pressure on the roads – traffic is predicted to rise by 13 percent over the coming week.

Protyre, the UK’s leading independent tyre distribution network, is urging motorists to check their tyres before they set off for Easter, as recent research shows that almost a quarter of cars and vans have at least one defective or badly worn tyre, making an accident far more likely.

Protyre is offering motorists visiting anyone of the 34 outlets in the UK a free Easter tyre safety check together with advice on tyre care and use particularly when carrying more passengers or a fully loaded boot. The company is offering the following simple tyre advice to motorists setting off on their Easter holidays:

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

Clean dirt from around valves and fit valve caps all round

Remove stones and other foreign objects from the tyre tread

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

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 week, Protyre is also advising drivers to remember to take regular breaks of around 15 minutes every two hours at a suitable location, e.g. a motorway service station.

“It’s easy to forget to check your tyres with all the 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”, says Simon Hiorns, Retail Director at Protyre.

Protyre is the largest independent wholesaler, distributor and retailer of tyres in the UK, stocking the widest range of tyres at the most competitive prices.