Survey points to tyre apathy amongst younger drivers

The results of a survey commissioned by TyreSafe and telematics-linked insurer ingenie highlights the risk younger drivers place themselves at by neglecting regular tyre maintenance. Over a third of the 1,000 respondents, all aged between 18 and 25 years old, said they’d never checked their tyres’ tread depth, while two out of three hadn’t checked their tread within the last month, the maximum recommended period between checks.

A similarly worrying picture emerged regarding tyre pressures. A quarter confessed they had never checked their tyre pressures, with three out of five admitting they had not checked them in the last month.

The research also highlighted the need to better educate young drivers about the importance of proper tyre care, as almost half admitted they’d never been shown how to check the condition of their tyres. More than half of those questioned also didn’t know that it was the driver’s responsibility to ensure that the car’s tyres are safe and legal and a massive 85 per cent were unaware that the maximum fine for driving on an illegal tyre was £2,500; and more than a third were unaware that drivers could receive three penalty points for driving on an illegal tyre. With new drivers getting their licence revoked if they receive six points in two years – the equivalent of driving on two illegal tyres – young drivers need to be made aware there are serious consequences of driving on illegal tyres.

“Regular basic tyre maintenance is a critical element of being a safe and responsible driver, yet these latest findings would suggest that this message is being lost on young drivers today,” comments TyreSafe chairman Stuart Jackson. “We saw an increase last year in the number of tyre related road casualties and if we fail to take immediate action in educating young drivers about the need to look after their tyres properly, sadly we can only expect to see this figure rise further.”

Richard King, founder and CEO of ingenie added: “With almost half of young drivers never having been shown how to check the condition of their tyres, it’s clear that we need to do more to ensure they have the right knowledge in this area. At ingenie we’re all about helping young people save on their insurance by driving safely, so launching this video in partnership with  TyreSafe continues our commitment to helping young drivers stay safe on the road“

Tread depth and tyre pressure checks are important for safe driving as they ensure that the car can brake, accelerate, corner and handle properly. These are of particular importance during the winter months as worsening weather conditions make driving more hazardous. However, according to TyreSafe, regular checks which should be carried out on a monthly basis, can help to minimise safety risks and need only take a few minutes to complete.

To help young drivers understand the consequences of poor tyre care and how they should be checked, TyreSafe and ingenie have released a video starring BBC Outnumbered actor and ingenie video blogger Tyger Drew-Honey, who has recently passed his driving test. During the movie, which can be seen by visiting www.tyresafe.org/tyre-safety/young-drivers, two other young drivers are quizzed on their tyre knowledge and are shown the consequences of poor tyre care in a dramatic emergency stop manoeuvre recreation.