Credit crunched drivers put saving before safety

Worrying new research from leading car insurance comparison website Gocompare.com has revealed that nearly 30 per cent of UK motorists are putting off carrying out repairs to their cars in order to save money.

And with winter driving conditions set to continue, the research found that 17 per cent of motorists have delayed replacing their worn out tyres and nearly 6 per cent have ignored fixing problems with their brakes. That could mean a staggering 6.5 million dangerous cars on Britain's roads this winter.

Unfortunately that number could easily rise. 23 per cent of drivers who have nothing wrong with their cars at the moment said that if their car developed a problem tomorrow but they could still drive it, they would put off making the repairs for financial reasons.

The survey also revealed that whilst over half of drivers paid no more than £200 for their last service, nearly 40 per cent of people surveyed said they would consider servicing their car themselves or have a friend or family member do it for them in order to try to save money. That figure rose to over 55 per cent of 18 - 34 year olds who it appears are most willing to consider the self service or friends and family approach to car maintenance.

Despite 55 per cent of the UK's drivers saying they wouldn't go anywhere but a proper garage to have their car serviced, it doesn't mean they aren't prepared to cut some corners to save money. 62 per cent of drivers said they would consider service stretching, postponing their regular service beyond the recommended mileage, with nearly 40 per cent of those saying they would consider stretching their service by over 1000 miles. 10 per cent of young drivers who said they would consider service stretching, said they would exceed the recommended interval by over 5000 miles.

However, although many motorists are putting off repairs to their cars, over 4.7 million drivers are at risk of being stranded by the roadside if their cars do give up the ghost as just under 17 per cent of drivers in the survey said they didn't have any breakdown cover.

Hayley Parsons, CEO of Gocompare.com said: "This research is extremely worrying. Although I can understand motorists are trying desperately hard to save money it's really not worth the risk of neglecting essential repairs and maintenance when there are much safer ways of cutting down on your motoring costs. The AA's ‘Shop-around Index' shows that the difference between the average comprehensive car insurance policy and the "Shoparound" price is £241.12. That's enough to pay for most driver's next service or would go a long way towards buying a new set of tyres if not pay for them completely. And if you keep your car roadworthy you're much less likely to have an accident and lose your no claims discount too."