Most Cars Have Wrong Tyre Pressures

THE VAST majority of cars involved in accidents have the wrong tyre pressures, shocking new data has revealed

THE VAST majority of cars involved in accidents have the wrong tyre pressures, shocking new data has revealed.

Police forces check the tyre pressures of all cars involved in reported collisions across the UK. Frighteningly, 86% of all of them had at least one incorrectly inflated tyre.

A roadside study by Sussex Police found that 73% of the cars it tested had the wrong pressures.

Drivers should also be aware of the increased wear rate of wrongly-inflated rubber, with small errors amounting to big bills.

A statement released on behalf of Tyre Bay Direct, which supplies equipment to workshops and car garages throughout the country, claims that even slightly under-inflated tyres can wear out much faster than they should.

“Tyres that are under inflated by just 20% (4-6psi) on average can last 26% less than if correctly inflated,” the statement reads.

“According to police figures 73% of tyres checked were 5psi out against handbook pressures. It is estimated that under-inflation of 20% can cause fuel costs to rise by 5%.

Drivers are therefore being urged to keep their tyres at the correct pressures with weekly checks. Another option is to fill them with nitrogen, which is less prone to escaping the tyre over time than an ordinary air mix and maintains a more constant pressure even under changing heat conditions.