That's the emphatic view of the Road Safety Authority which is urging motorists to have their tyres checked for free this week, as part of Irish Road Safety Week.
The checks will be carried free at tyre centres and garages affiliated to the Irish Tyre Industry Association, which is holding Tyre Safety Day tomorrow as its contribution to the week. The checks are available all this week.
Defective tyres were the most significant factor (64.1pc) of all vehicle factors identified in fatal collisions between 2008 and 2012, according to a report issued by the RSA earlier this year.
