The £1 Billion Bill British Motorists Could Avoid

British motorists are collectively wasting more than £1billion every year, and increasing the risk of an accident, by failing to keep an eye on their tyre pressure.

According to analysis by Avon Tyres, up to 90 percent*1 of vehicles on Britain’s roads do not have the correct pressure in their tyres leading to reduced fuel economy and accelerating tyre wear. Alarmingly, it also increases the likelihood of a serious road traffic accident.

Failure to regularly check their tyres means drivers unknowingly spend an extra £790m on fuel and £230m on new tyres every year.

Data from the Department of Transport*2 also highlights tyre wear as a possible cause of 2,600 serious injuries or fatalities every year as a result of blowouts or tyre deflation. This represents around seven percent of all road traffic accidents per year.

Experts at Avon estimate that at any one time, ninety per cent of vehicles on British roads have at least one tyre underinflated by 10% of the recommended pressure. This equates to a 15% reduction in the tyre’s life expectancy or an extra £5.12 per year. With 25 million passenger vehicles on the road, that represents a whopping £230m premature spend.

This astronomical figure pales in comparison to the amount wasted due to unnecessary fuel consumption.

A similarly underinflated tyre requires more power from the engine to get it moving, leading to a two-and-a-half percent reduction in fuel efficiency. If the average car does 30mpg, and travels 10,000 miles per annum, British motorists are collectively shelling out an additional £790m.

"The cost of failing to carry out this most mundane, yet easiest, of checks not only hits the motorist in the pocket but raises the possibility of a tyre failure at speed," explains Malcolm Jones, product manager at Avon Tyres.

He added: "The biggest concern of all is that so many do not understand the importance of the tyre to a safe and economical journey. It’s easy to forget that when you’re travelling at 70mph on the motorway the only contact you have with the road is four pieces of rubber the size of a postcard."

Avon Tyres recommends motorists check their tyre pressures at least once a month, or every time they fill up at the garage.

*1 Source: Tyre Industry Council

*2 Source: Road Casualties Great Britain: 2003 (Annual Report)