Free tyres checks and safety gear on offer today as part of Road Safety Week

People are being encouraged to get their tyres checked, for free, over the next 24 hours.

As well as a minimum tread depth of 1.6mm, tyres will also be checked for bulges, punctures and other damage as part of national road safety week.

Chief Superintendent Mike O'Sullivan of the Garda National Traffic Bureau says motorists can go to a local dealer to get their tyres checked.

"The Irish Tyre Association have kindly offered motorists (this facility). They can click on a map to find a dealer near them and have their tyres examined free of charge," he said.

"We think this is very important. If tyres get below a minimum depth, they can have a difficulty in stopping."

Participants will also receive a free safety pack containing a high vis jacket, ice scraper and tread depth measure.

To date this year, 140 people have been killed on Irish roads, a decrease of four when compared to the same period last year.

The RSA said it was concerned about the high numbers of vulnerable road users killed this year, particularly following the deaths of 13 children under the age of 14 in road traffic accidents so far this year, compared to seven children who were killed on the roads in the whole of 2013.