Millions of Britons are set to be travelling over the bank holiday weekend, with experts warning of the dangers they face if they don’t properly look after their tyres. New research has shown that over one million litres of fuel will be wasted because people are not checking the state of their tyres before they set off on long journeys.
Having properly inflated tyres has a massive impact on how efficient a vehicle is, with Halfords estimating that it can reduce consumption by around three percent.
Nine in 10 motorists are expected to hit the roads this bank holiday weekend, with 30 trucks worth of fuel being wasted.
It is estimated that people will travel an average of 68.5 miles each, with around 2.7 billion total miles being driven.
According to RAC fuel watch, the current price of petrol is 146.43p per litre, while diesel remains higher at 162.35p per litre, with one million wasted litres equating to at least £146million.
READ MORE: April 2023 driving law changes - Car tax charges, fines and moreHowever, 11 percent of drivers admitted that they had not topped up their tyres in more than four months.
Many are also set to skip the forecourts and avoid putting air in their tyres altogether, despite the risks.
The average tyre loses an average of one PSI of pressure each month, meaning they are more than likely to be underinflated when people set off.
With the estimated 2.7 billion miles being driven this Easter weekend, around 293.7 million of these miles will be by vehicles with underinflated tyres.
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Andy Turbefield, Head of Quality, Halfords believes: “We’re in a cost of living crisis currently and everyone is feeling the pinch – meaning many will have an extra eye on their spending when they go on their Easter getaway this year. 
“But one way motorists can save themselves a bit of cash is to ensure they keep their tyres properly inflated. 
“We’ve highlighted the cost over one bank holiday weekend – but the costs over the course of a year really mount up.”
A third of drivers who say they’ve not filled their tyres with air in the past four months said they simply haven’t checked their pressure levels.
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Almost three in 10 said they rely on their car’s in-built sensors and monitors to alert them when the air in the tyres is getting too low.
Shockingly, three percent of motorists admitted to never topping their tyres up, usually waiting for their MOT or service, regardless of the state of them.
This could cost them money and make their driving more dangerous as they may not have a proper grip on the roads.
Mr Turbefield added: “And furthermore, underinflated tyres get worn down quicker – meaning they’ll need replacing sooner, and that is a more significant cost. “And of course, if left underinflated for long enough, the dangers are to more than just your wallet – it could eventually lead to a blow out. And what’s more, wasting fuel just isn’t good for the environment. 
“We know that not everyone is confident when it comes to checking their tyres – so on our website, motorists can book a free tyre check, to ensure that they are not just the right pressure, but will ensure the tread is also ok.”
If tyres are underinflated, they have an increased spread on the road, which increases the rate of friction and makes them less efficient.
At the same time, they can overheat, potentially increasing the risk of increased wear and even a blowout.
With so many people travelling this weekend, breakdowns on the road could be more frequent, highlighting the need for tyres to be checked.
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