Motorists can save money by inflating tyres

Motorists have been found to be wasting in excess of £1 billion a year by not making sure that their tyres are properly pumped up, it has been stated.

Research from Cooper Tire Europe has found that at any one time on the road, 95 per cent of vehicles will have at least one tyre inappropriately pumped up by ten per cent.

This could lead to an increase in road costs, which also includes necessities such as car insurance and road tax.

Underinflated tyres, not only reduces the life of the tyre, it also causes an increase of 2.5 per cent in fuel consumption, adding to the list of unnecessary costs put in front of a motorist.

This breaks down to an extra £44.22 a year spent by each driver which could be avoided if they paid closer attention to the amount of air in their tyres.

"Checking your tyre pressures is a mundane, but very simple, task," says Cooper Tire product manager, Malcolm Jones.

"As the 'credit crunch' grips the country, it's amazing that drivers aren't bothering to do it, as it could save them money and, more importantly, keep them safe on the road."

It is recommended that drivers check their tyre pressures as often as once a month.