Drivers can save themselves a lot of money by checking their tyres now before presenting their vehicle for what will be a record month for MOTs – and a record month for failures.

Around 2.7 million new cars were registered in 2016 and many of them will due their first MOT in March so workshops will be flat out coping with the demand but more than half of the vehicles will fail. In a new study by Continental, 10% of those failures will be for tyres and excess wear below the legal limit of 1.6 mm of tread depth will be the most common fault among them.

It means drivers will have to make a choice between accepting the replacement tyre offered on the spot or, if they check them visually themselves before taking the car to the test centre and see unacceptable wear or any other damage, have the time to shop around for perhaps a better price.

Mark Griffiths, safety spokesman at Continental Tyres said: “It is crucial that motorists understand the seriousness of driving with worn brakes or tyres given the impact it has on the safety of everyone on the road. Tyres are the vital connection to the road on all four corners, and as the leading advocate of road safety we want to make people aware of how they can save time and money through quick, simple checks.”