Drivers are being warned they face fines of up to £10,000 for forgetting one simple check during the winter months.

Driving with bald tyres can also lead to up to 12 points on your licence which could mean losing your licence.

The maximum financial penalty is a whopping £2,500 per tyre which could lead to a five-figure fine if all four tyres are found to be bald.

Warning to UK drivers from road safety expert

Neil Worth, chief executive of road safety organisation GEM Motoring Assist, said: "We rely on our tyres to keep us safe on journeys. After all, they provide the only contact between the car we’re driving and the road surface.

"In an extreme situation, correctly inflated tyres with good levels of tread will allow all the other safety systems on a car to work at their most effective.

"Inadequate tread or incorrect pressure mean one thing: the safety systems on your vehicle will not work as efficiently. That's why regular checks on tyre inflation and tread depth are so important."

How to check your tyres are legal

The National Tyre Distributors Association (NTDA) inspected thousands of tyres and found that a staggering 98% were not compliant with these regulations.

Of the 10% of MOT fails due to tyres, worn down treads is the number one reported issue.

If you are unsure of whether your tyres are safe, you can check they are road legal in the UK by placing a 20p piece inside the tyre treads at different spots across the tyre’s width.