More than 20 car crashes in Dorset and 300 tyre-related penalties issued by Dorset Police in the last three years could have been avoided if people had checked their car tyres.

Following a Freedom of Information request to local police forces, figures released highlighted the South West has seen the most tyre-related road traffic accidents.

Almost a third of the UK’s tyre-related accidents occurred in the South West and police in the region have issued almost 1,800 fixed penalty notices for bald or defective tyres.

Of that, Dorset had one of the lowest records of crashes caused by tyres, but Dorset Police are still treating the figures as a cautionary tale for drivers. Just last year, six crashes in Dorset were tyre-related collisions.

Between 2014 and 2016, 307 penalties were given to drivers by Dorset Police for bald or defective tyres.

Sergeant Mark Farrow, of Dorset Police’s No Excuse team, said: “There’s just four small patches of rubber that are keeping your car in touch with the road so having the right tyres, in good condition and correctly inflated is vital for your safety and that of other road users.

“We would always advise motorists to check their tyres regularly and ensure that they are both safe and legal.

“This will help keep you and your family safe, save money by making your tyres last longer and keep you on the right side of the law.”

But according to a survey by Confused.com, almost a third of South West motorists don’t know how to check their tyre tread and almost eight in 10 (78 per cent) are unaware of the correct legal tread depth.

According to the car savings site, worryingly more than one in five people (22 per cent) admit to never checking their tyres. The law requires car tyres to have a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm and inflated to the manufacturer’s recommended tyre pressure.

Motorists who fail to keep their tyres in this condition could be penalised with three penalty points and a fine of up to £2,500 per tyre.

Amanda Stretton, motoring editor at Confused.com, said: “It’s a real concern that there have been so many tyre-related accidents across the South West.

Checking your tyres is such a simple task and drivers should really take the time to educate themselves in basic car maintenance to avoid any nasty accidents.

“Confused.com’s tyre tool helps to lower the cost of buying new tyres by allowing you to compare prices in advance, so there are no nasty surprises once you get to the garage.”