Whether you’re from London and want to explore places in the East Midlands like Nottingham or Lincoln, or you live in Buckinghamshire and want to get to places in South Wales or the West Country, travelling by road makes a great deal of sense. This is especially true when there are several of you travelling together. Compared to train fares from Aylesbury to Marylebone or from Nottingham to Edinburgh, for example, taking one car with passengers is often cheaper.

That said, you shouldn’t skimp on the condition of your car’s tyres before beginning a road trip. Wherever you live, it’s worth considering whether you need to have new tyres fitted before a long journey that will inevitably place them under greater strain.

Risking a long journey with ageing tyres simply isn’t worth it. Let’s take a look at why.

The older your tyres are, the more likely they are to suffer from a blowout.

When you’re on a road trip, you’ll typically spend hours on faster roads getting from one part of the country to another. You will therefore encounter more road debris than usual. If your tyres are old and you run over a hazard, then you could be in for some serious problems that may have been avoidable if with newer tyres.

Even if your tyres are street-legal when you set out on your road trip, they may not stay that way for the entire journey.

Ask your preferred local tyre fitter to check yours, so at least you know how long they can be expected to last. You may only need to exchange one or two, after all. Remember that balding tyres invalidate your insurance and can wind up in police action being taken.

Even if your tyres are

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