WITH 60 per cent of Britain's drivers experiencing punctures in the past four years leading to all sorts of problems not least the time lost fitting a spare or getting roadside assistance, a new run flat tyre from Bridgstone could be the answer.

Being stuck by the roadside on a dark winter's night is no fun, especially if it's a female on her own, and being able to drive on safely to get assistance is a definite advantage

A flat tyre isn't just inconvenient, it's also dangerous especially when driving along a motorway or a winding country road, and the hassle involved in fittingthe spare is something most drivers would find a major chore.

Bridgestone's DriveGuard tyre, which goes on sale in the UK on April 1, can help prevent accidents resulting from punctures, sudden loss of pressure or other types of tyre damage.

The tyre maker says the DriveGuard is a game-changing tyre designed to be fitted on to all passenger cars to remove concerns relating to tyre damage (including in the sidewall and tread areas) and to deliver the highest standards of safety, wet performance, comfort and fuel efficiency.

The new DriveGuard technology uses a high-tech cooling fin design as well as supportive and tough reinforced sidewalls which allow drivers to keep control and continue driving safely and comfortably for 50 miles at up to 50mph after a puncture, until it is safe to either repair or replace their tyre.

Bridgestone DriveGuard is not restricted to a factory fitment on specific brands or car models and can be fitted on to most cars equipped with TPMS (tyre pressure monitoring system) which has been mandatory in Europe on new cars since November, 2014.

The DriveGuard not only eliminates the need to carry a spare tyre thereby putting less weight on the vehicle, it is also fully recyclable.

I experienced driving with a punctured, fully deflated front near-side DriveGuard tyre on a Bridgestone test event in France and I was pretty impressed.

Cornering, braking, ride comfort and noise from the flat tyre was hardly noticeable compared to a previous run with fully inflated tyres.

There was a slight pulling to one side when cornering at a fair speed, but overall the handling was in no way compromised.

You can fitthe newBridgestone DriveGuard to older cars, but it would require fitting a retro TPMS, which will set you back around £120.

The price of the new DriveGuard hasn't yet been announced but Bridgestone say it will be around 10 per cent more a conventional tyre in the higher quality range of its products.