Under pressure: Burnley drivers amongst the UK's best for tyre-care

With Tyre Safety Month – a nationwide drive to raise awareness of the dangers posed by underinflated tyres - upon us, checks carried out by ATS Euromaster revealed that 55% of Burnley cars tested boasted a full set of optimally-pumped fitments.

However, not all of the tested motorists did the Lancashire town proud, as 35% were found to be running on at least one underinflated tyre and 12% on one or more overinflated fitment.

“We know that underinflated tyres are a huge problem across Britain so we were delighted with the results," said Salim Khan, Centre Manager at ATS Euromaster in Burnley. "However, we’d like to see all – not just 55% – of the town’s driving population maintaining correct tyre pressures.

“Underinflated tyres pose a serious safety hazard, as they increase braking distance, meaning your tyre pressure could be the difference between stopping safely and causing a serious accident," Salim added. "Overinflated tyres can be just as dangerous because they’re not able to get a good grip on the road and are more likely to puncture, which could be disastrous if travelling at faster speeds. Drivers in the area should frequently get their tyre pressures checked – before they put themselves and others at risk.”

Across the UK, more than 1,000 cars were tested, 561 of which had underinflated tyres, with the drivers in Bridport, Dorset (67%) and Swindon, Wiltshire (59%) the only locales to beat the numbers posted by Burnley.

At the bottom of the list was the Wiltshire town of Marlborough, where a staggering 91% of those tested were driving on underinflated tyres, with Urmston in Greater Manchester (88% on underinflated tyres) close behind.

TyreSafe has been carrying out UK tyre pressure awareness campaigns for 10 years, warning motorists of the risks involved with driving on underinflated fitments and the unnecessary money spent on avoidable fuel consumption.