Tyre Bay Direct is urging fleets to realise the importance of having wheels balanced to improve road safety after Government figures showed injuries and fatalities were up 4% in 2013/14.

Leigh Stote, sales and marketing director at Tyre Bay Direct, said: “Unsafe driving is a major concern.

“However, many people underestimate the lethal consequences of vehicles that don’t meet roadworthy regulations.

“Unbalanced wheels are one of the key culprits, causing vehicles to vibrate at high speeds, jeopardise handling and create traction problems.

“This makes it critical for all motorists to ensure their wheels are correctly balanced, particularly after a tyre change.”

According to Tyre Bay Direct, unbalanced wheels can cause vehicles to lose control, particularly at high speeds.

This is due to the fact that unbalanced wheels cause tyres to wear prematurely, as well as accelerate the deterioration of shock absorbers, struts and steering components.

It said motorists can counteract this risk by ensuring that the wheels of their vehicles are correctly balanced.