Visitors simply need to enter their postcode at www.tyresafe.org to find their nearest tyre retailer whose qualified staff will be able to provide a free tyre safety check.

‘Tyre safety month has many firsts in 2013, not least the launch of our online locator which shows those tyre retailers and dealers, all of whom are TyreSafe members, offering free tyre safety checks in October.

‘These free inspections will include checking that the tyre has adequate tread depth and the correct air pressure. The tyre experts will also give the tyre a visual inspection to check its overall condition to ensure it is legal and as safe as possible,’ explained Stuart Jackson, chairman, TyreSafe.

This year’s tyre safety month will focus on educating drivers about the importance of ensuring their tyres are correctly inflated.

It follows results from a recent pan-European vehicle survey conducted by one TyreSafe member involving some 27,000 cars. The study highlighted the scale of the problem as it found that 78% of cars were being driven on under-inflated tyres, while more than a quarter of the sample (28.4%) had tyres that were either seriously or severely underinflated, greatly reducing their safety on the road.

‘Ensuring your tyres are correctly inflated provides a host of benefits for drivers. This online safety check locator will become an invaluable tool, helping drivers to pinpoint those retailers with trained technicians who will happily provide a free tyre health check,’ added Jackson.