Lack of tyre maintenance is increasing road risk for young drivers

Young drivers are at a greater risk of being involved in a tyre related accident through a lack of regular tyre maintenance, according to a new survey commissioned by TyreSafe and young driver insurer ingenie.

Over a third of drivers aged 18-25 had never checked their tread depth – and two out of three had not checked their tread within the last month, the maximum period recommended 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 percent 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 Stuart Jackson, chairman ofTyreSafe. “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.