Drivers flatly refuse to change spare tyres

More than half of drivers have no idea whether their car has a spare wheel and even more wouldn’t feel confident enough to change one if they experienced a puncture according to a survey by Halfords Autocentres.
 
The independent garage and tyre retailer found that 56% of car owners did not know whether their vehicle had a full-size spare tyre, 65% felt unable to change a wheel and 73% had never read their car handbook to check vital information such as tyre pressures.

Rory Carlin from Halfords Autocentres said: “There is a great deal of complacency and a general lack of understanding surrounding tyres and their care.

“Whilst most new cars are equipped a tyre sealant kit, these are neither a permanent fix nor a solution to all types of puncture. They are for emergency use only - to help get you home or to the nearest garage safely - and no substitute for routinely checking the condition of your tyres.”

However, with just 8% of motorists checking their tyres once a week, Halfords Autocentres offers a free tyre check service to drivers seeking added peace of mind.

Industry figures show that the average driver suffers a puncture fairly infrequently - every 44,000 miles or five years - which along with manufacturers’ desire to save weight, increase fuel efficiency, maximise boot space and cut costs has effectively made the spare wheel all but extinct – with only Volkswagen’s Golf carrying one as standard.

Emergency roadside services now report that one in ten calls are now for tyre problems and that they are now the third most common cause of a breakdown.

Rory Carlin from Halfords Autocentres said: “MOT failure rate show that one in ten spare tyres are unusable, this lack of care and maintenance, coupled with a deteriorating road surface could well see the average frequency of punctures increase.

“Our findings clearly show that the reassurance felt by many drivers is misplaced – either because they think they have a spare tyre in the boot and don’t, can’t change it and lack the know-how to use a foam-based alternative.”

The RAC was called by 80,000 motorists last year with tyre problems and Green Flag report a 20% increase in people stranded after finding they couldn’t fix a flat.