Reading pressure on warm tyres 'puts lives at risk' - IAM

London - The UK's IAM Motoring Trust -the former Institute of Advanced Motorists - says nearly two-thirds of Britain's motorists use filling station air pumps to inflate their tyres. Unfortunately, getting to the filling station raises temperature and hence pressure in the tyres, which means motorists could be putting lives at risk, said the IAM.

“The danger is that the drive to the filling station increases tyre pressure significantly,” says Tim Shallcross, the IAM Trust's Head of Technical Policy and Advice. “This means that, although the pressure gauge may be accurate, tyres can be under-inflated by between 12 and 15 per cent. The survey shows that two thirds of motorists inflate their tyres at garages, therefore vehicle and tyre manufacturers should consider changing their recommended settings to 'warm' pressure levels.”

"Drivers should check the tyre pressure weekly,” said Shallcross. “However, the survey shows that we're not checking tyres frequently enough, with just 18 per cent of men and 4 per cent of women drivers doing so weekly.

In another development, the IAM said, "The era of 'free air' at garages appears to be ending. However, charging for air does seem to be improving pressure gauge accuracy. The IAM Trust survey shows more than 80 per cent of air lines to be accurate within 5 per cent or 2psi, a significant improvement on the 2005 check, which found 50 per cent of gauges to be inaccurate. The new survey also shows that 71 per cent of drivers would be willing swap pounds sterling for pounds per square inch, to ensure accuracy and well-maintained air lines."

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Press release from IAM