The region's drivers are being urged to check the state of their tyres as part of Tyre Safety Day.

The call comes from An Garda Síochána, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and the Irish Tyre Industry Association (ITIA) who have teamed up for today's safety day.

Tyres remain the main cause of NCT failures in Ireland with figures for the last 12 months showing 193,232 (10.79%) motorists failing due to tyre condition.

Of those, 45,395 failed as a result of a dangerously low tyre tread of less than 1.6mm.

This mirrors a trend of fixed charge notices being issued to motorists for tyre offences by An Garda Síochána.

As of September 9 this year, 1,349 fixed charge notices have been issued, averaging 37 detections per week.

Brendan Walsh, Chief Operating Officer of the RSA, said “Most drivers rarely think about their tyres until a flat or a blowout forces them to.

“However, because tyres are your car's only point of contact with the road, regular checks are absolutely essential for staying safe.”

He added: “This routine is simple: just walk around your vehicle before driving to check for visible damage, ensure they are properly inflated, and confirm the tread depth is legal.”

Insp Michael Houlihan, Garda National Roads Policing Bureau, said: “Keeping your tyres roadworthy protects everyone on the road, not just you, by significantly lowering the risk of a defect-related crash.”

ITIA members around Ireland are inviting all motorists to call in for a free tyre pressure check and tread depth inspection during Irish Road Safety Week, which also begins today.

A visit to www.itia.ie will lead drivers to their nearest ITIA registered dealer.