The tyre industry players in the UK are to organize tyre safety month throughout October to encourage motorists in the country to get their tyres checked.

Latest data released by Department for Transport shows that illegal, defective and under-inflated tyres have caused 1210 road casualties in the UK in 2010. Stuart Jackson, chairman, TyreSafe described the figures as ‘shocking’ and said that there should be an emphasis on spreading awareness on the need for tyre safety.

"Making sure that your tyres are safe and legal is a quick and easy job, yet we still see hundreds of accidents occurring each year because drivers don't make these essential safety checks," he said.

ATS Euromaster has announced that it will offer free tyre safety inspections at all of its 370 centres across the regions in the UK. The company has urged motorists in the country to make sure that their tyres are safe and legal. It also pointed out that illegal types could lead to £2,500 in fines and three penalty points on their licence.

During the Tyre Safety Month, the police officers will urge users to get their tyres checked. They will also look out for motorists driving on illegal or dangerous tyres during stop-checks across the county. TyreSafe has also launched a website providng information on how to check tyres for tread depth, tyre pressure and condition.

Chris Hufflett, group operations director at ATS Euromaster said that motorists should particularly check their types at this time because the winters are approaching and it must be checked if the types have enough grip to be driven on frost and ice on the roads.