Tyre Neglect Costs British Motorists £1 in Extra Bills

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 under-inflated 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 25million 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 under-inflated 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 the fuel tank.

*1 Source: Tyre Industry Council
*2 Source: Road Casualties Great Britain: 2003 (Annual Report) - http://www.dft.gov.uk/transtat

Mileage calculation
10,000 miles per year at 30mpg average equals 333 gallons used. A reduction in fuel efficiency increases this consumption to 342 gallons - or an extra 9 gallons. With the price of a gallon currently running at nearly £3.90 [currently U.S. $7.11] the motorist must spend an extra £35.10 per vehicle to travel the same distance. With 25m passenger vehicles on the road and 90 percent of them (or 22.5m) driving with at least one under-inflated tyre, the British motorist is wasting an incredible £790m

Tyres calculation
An under-inflated tyre will have its life expectancy cut by 15 percent. With an average tyre lasting 20,000 miles this means, incorrect pressure reduces expectancy to 17,000. As a guide, Avon Tyres used an average purchase price of £60 per tyre, which given the 10,000 miles per annum travelled means the tyre needs replacing after 20.5 months or an extra £5.12 per year in rubber. With 90 percent of the 25m passenger vehicles on the road the final value is £230m.