In a recent 'Fill Up With Air' promotion hosted by the company at four Irish sites - Galway, Naas, Dungarvan and Ballymena - motorists were given a free air pressure and tyre check, the results of which showed that one in every three vehicles was found to have tyres that were deemed to be 'dangerously' or 'very dangerously' underinflated.
Pressures between 7psi and 14psi below the manufacturer's recommendation are classified as 'dangerous' by Michelin while 15psi and below underinflation falls into the 'very dangerous' category.
In Naas, 90 vehicles presented for checking of which only 20 percent passed muster. Of the remainder, a huge 42 percent had tyres that were ranked 'dangerous' or 'very dangerous'. A marginally better picture emerged in Galway where 31 percent of vehicles had tyres that were correctly inflated with 32 percent falling into the 'dangerous' and 'very dangerous' category, while Dungarvan saw 46 percent of vehicles falling inside the 'dangerous' or 'very dangerous' categories.
In stark contract, of the 158 vehicles that presented in Ballymena, an encouraging 44 percent had tyres that were correctly inflated.
Martin Stuart, events manager for Michelin in the UK and Ireland said "We run these Fill Up With Air events to highlight just how important it is to look after your tyres. Underinflated tyres are dangerous - control and braking distances are harmed, and the risk of skidding, aquaplaning, punctures and blow-outs increases significantly.
"Underinflated tyres also use a lot more fuel, so making sure they are at the correct pressure and in good condition saves money and lives. I would urge Irish motorists to know the correct tyre pressures for their vehicles and to check their tyres regularly."
