UK motorists are being warned to make a vital pre-journey check before their Easter break or risk a £10,000 fine.

Even though the days are now getting brighter with the arrival of springtime, it does not mean that the roads are any safer, with April traditionally bringing in more unsettled and unpredictable weather patterns.

With the quickly changing weather, comes a further need for motorists to be aware of the condition of their tyres.

Dan Jones, Operations Manager at TrackDays.co.uk, warned drivers that they could face hefty fines, reaching £10,000, if their tyres are found to be in a dangerous or illegal state.

Bournemouth Echo:

Failure to make sure your tyres are road legal could even result in you losing your licence.

The driving experience expert also highlighted that in the latest Department for Transport (DfT) road casualty report, nearly 25per cent of collisions where a vehicle defect was reported involved tyres which were either illegal, defective or underinflated.

Mr Jones said: "Drivers shouldn't take for granted that as we start to move into spring, we should take our eyes off the state of our tyres.

"In the same report published by the DfT, 22 per cent of collisions were on wet or damp roads, and we all know that April showers can come when least expected."

These are his top tips for making sure your tyres are in a safe condition.

The 20p test

"When looking at your tyres, there is first of all the 20p trick: if you pop a 20p coin into your tyres' tread and cannot see the outer band of the coin then your tyre depth is roadworthy.”

Check tyre condition

“Check for cuts, bulges and tears because if they're over 25 millimetres long or cover 10 per cent of the tyre's section width, then they're also deemed to be unsafe.”

Check tyre pressures

“Ensure that the PSI of your tyres is at the correct levels, most cars have this information on the inside of the driver's door. The PSI can be checked at an air pressure machine which is available at most petrol stations."