Young drivers are at a greater risk of being involved in a tyre related accident through a lack of regular tyre maintenance, according to a new survey commissioned by TyreSafe and young driver insurer ingenie.

Over a third of drivers aged 18-25 had never checked their tread depth – and two out of three had not checked their tread within the last month, the maximum period recommended between checks.

A similarly worrying picture emerged regarding tyre pressures. A quarter confessed they had never checked their tyre pressures, with three out of five admitting they had not checked them in the last month.

The research also highlighted the need to better educate young drivers about the importance of proper tyre care, as almost half admitted they’d never been shown how to check the condition of their tyres. More than half of those questioned also didn’t know that it was the driver’s responsibility to ensure that the car’s tyres are safe and legal and a massive 85 percent were unaware that the maximum fine for driving on an illegal tyre was £2,500; and more than a third were unaware that drivers could receive three penalty points for driving on an illegal tyre. With new drivers getting their licence revoked if they receive six points in two years – the equivalent of driving on two illegal tyres – young drivers need to be made aware there are serious consequences of driving on illegal tyres.