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Drivers must improve awareness of tyre pressure

Published: 01 February 2012

Motorists need to improve how they monitor the tyre pressure of their vehicles, a study has shown.

According to a survey by Kwik Fit, less than half of drivers (49 per cent) are able to correctly identify the tyre pressure warning light on their dashboard.

More than a third (34 per cent) mistook it as a sign that their engine coolant was over-heating, and 12 per cent believed it indicated that they were running low on screenwash.

It is particularly important that correct tyre pressure is maintained during the winter months.

Over or under-inflated tyres can make a journey more dangerous by increasing stopping distances and reducing grip on the road.

This year, an EU ruling will ensure that all new cars are fitted with a Tyre Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) as standard.

Kwik Fit communications director Roger Griggs believes this to be a "positive step in car safety".

He added that Kwik Fit research indicates that only four per cent of cars currently on the road have all four tyres at the correct pressure.