A car insurance provider has urged motorists to be extra careful when driving this week, as potholes could damage their vehicles.

According to Tyre Safe, the tyre safety awareness organisation, driving over potholes could easily result in damage to the suspension and steering of a car or van, and put the motorist in risk of a crash.

Therefore, insurers have encouraged drivers to check that their wheels are properly aligned so they can reduce this danger and therefore minimise the possibility of resultant car insurance claims.

TyreSafe chairman Stuart Jackson, commented: "If a car's wheels are not correctly aligned it may pull to one side or cause vibrations in the steering wheel which can be distracting and make the vehicle difficult to control," he said.

He added that a garage will be able to carry out simple checks to ensure the winter weather has not left a vehicle with any lasting damage.