Vehicle owners up and down the country are being urged to take special care regarding the state of their tyres when taking to the roads.

New statistics have been published by the Highways Agency highlighting the thousands of UK motorists involved in accidents on the nation's roads each year as a result of tyre-related incidents, with the figures provided as part of October's Road Safety month.

Working in partnership with vehicle safety charity TyreSafe, the agency is advising all drivers to be extra vigilant regarding the state of their tyres, as the autumn months will likely bring with them increasingly damp and adverse weather that can have a serious impact on road safety if cars are not properly maintained.

A failure to regularly examine tyres can lead to a situation where tread depth drops below the legal minimum in the UK of 1.6 mm and, should this occur, it can have a serious impact on not only handling but also braking.

Simon Sheldon-Wilson, Highways Agency director of customer operations, commented: "By checking your tyres at least once a month, you can make sure you have enough tread to control your vehicle in wet conditions and avoid aquaplaning at high speeds, which could lead to disastrous consequences.

"There were 11,057 tyre-related incidents on motorways and major A roads in England last winter – don't become a statistic and check your tyres are safe today."

Overall, the agency's figures showed that the majority of tyre-related accidents took place between the months of October and December last year.

A simple method for examining tread depth that is recommended by TyreSafe for all vehicle operators is to insert a 20-pence piece into the tread of a tyre and to then examine the coin to see whether or not its rim has been obscured by the tread.

If any portion of the outer rim of the coin can be seen, then this is a clear indication that the tyre may no longer be fit for purpose and motorists should immediately look to have it replaced.

Chairman of TyreSafe Stuart Jackson added that last year was one of the wettest winters on record in the UK and therefore people need to be aware of the dangers of poor tyre maintenance in wet and slippery conditions.

Driving is one of the most dangerous practices that most people will undertake in their whole life, with the prospect of serious injury always there if individuals fail to take their responsibilities for proper road safety and vehicle maintenance seriously.

As a result, the importance of taking the time to assess tyres for their ongoing safety is something vehicle owners should not only be aware of, but it is something they should be happy to do, and do regularly.

"Ahead of any wet weather we may encounter this winter, we're reminding drivers to check that their tyres' tread depth is deep enough to manage driving in wet conditions," Mr Jackson concluded.