Sixty per cent of motorists are unable to check their vehicles’ tyre pressures because forecourt’s tyre pressure airline facilities are out of order.

This may explain why almost three quarters of all cars on the country's roads have tyres that are under-inflated.

TyreSafe, which carried out the survey, is calling on petrol forecourt owners to check the condition of their tyre pressure airline equipment and to report any faults immediately.

“It is their responsibility to ensure the highest possible levels of safety for drivers,” said the tyre safety organisation.