Each time you drive, you trust your life to your car's tyres.

A tyre at incorrect pressure may have less grip, be more likely to puncture and can increase fuel consumption. It will also wear out much faster. Yet surveys show that many cars have one or more tyres incorrectly inflated and few drivers check their tyre condition and pressures regularly enough.

An astonishing 87% of 789 drivers interviewed recently by jamjar cars confessed to forgetfulness when it came to carrying out this basic but vital safety check. And most women, despite being known to be safer drivers, put their lives in greater risk by either neglecting this task or leaving it to others to perform (or not).

Haynes, the world-leading publisher of automotive repair manuals, is renowned for teaching millions of car owners how to carry out routine maintenance and repairs. Each manual lists the correct tyre pressures (they vary accordingly to the particular model and the number of passengers and amount of luggage being carried) and explains how to check them - a five-minute task that should be done weekly.

This vital check may save you from returning to your vehicle to find a flat tyre, experiencing a blow-out on the motorway, or even worse, a crash!

Pressures should be checked when the tyres are cold (not driven for at least 30 minutes), so a garage or filling station may not be the most convenient place to do it. It's probably better to make it a regular task you do at home - for which you will require a pressure gauge. A good quality tyre pressure gauge is not expensive and a digital version will be easy to read. Alternatively, you can buy a foot pump with a built-in gauge, or a compressor which runs off the car battery.

Don't forget to check the pressure of the spare tyre. It should normally be inflated to the highest of the pressures quoted for your car (or higher in the case of 'space saver' spares). For more advice on model-specific procedures, please refer to the appropriate Haynes Service and Repair Manual.

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Here's how to check your tyre pressures.

1. First, check the required pressures in your car's handbook or your Haynes manual - make sure you get the figures applicable to your car, and note any differences between normal load conditions (up to three people) and fully laden.
2. Taking each wheel in turn, use a piece of rag to wipe the dirt from around the tyre valve. Unscrew and remove the valve dust cap. If a dust cap is missing, get a new one - don't do without it, because it prevents dirt entering the valve.
3. Push the head of your tyre pressure gauge firmly onto the valve so that no air can be heard escaping. Remove the gauge to check the reading. If it is too low and you have a foot pump or compressor, push the nozzle onto the valve and secure it in place with the locking lever. If your pump has a built-in gauge, it will show the tyre pressure so you don't need to use a separate gauge.
4. Inflate the tyre, then unlock and remove the nozzle. Use your tyre pressure gauge again. If the pressure is now too high, you need to gently depress the pin in the centre of the valve. Your tyre pressure gauge may have a conical end for doing this. Alternatively, you can use a small screwdriver or even a key. Don't forget to replace the valve dust cap.
5. If one tyre is found to have a pressure much lower than it should, or needs pumping up regularly, it may have a slow puncture or a leaky valve. Get this checked before it becomes serious.
6. While you are about it, look at each tyre and wheel to check for damage. Check the tread depth with an indicator gauge. The UK legal limit of 1.6mm is an absolute minimum and ideally you should replace any tyre with less than 3mm of tread.

For more advice on model-specific procedures, please refer to the appropriate Haynes Service and Repair Manual. Haynes Manuals retail at £17.99 (hardback) and are available from all good car accessory retailers and bookshops including: Halfords, Motor World and WH Smith. A comprehensive stockist locator can be found at www.haynes.co.uk.