THE AA is urging company car drivers to get a grip on their tyres.

It says that ignorance of tyre care means drivers are throwing safety out of the window and money down the drain each time they corner at speed or brake sharply. It said:

  • Increasing cornering speed by 10% raises tyre wear by 50%.
  • On a good but wet road surface, braking grip at 60mph from a tyre with two millimetres of tread depth will be half that of a new tyre.
  • A tyre at three-quarters its correct pressure will have its life cut by 40%. That doubles to 80% when a tyre becomes half deflated.

    'Half a ton of expensive metal and up to five human beings are held to the road by four lumps of rubber,' said David Wallace, director of AA Service Centres. 'You'd think motorists would pay more attention to their tyres, but few do.'