Roadside breakdowns on rise
And it’s down to the lack of spare wheels on new cars
SCRAPPING spare wheels from standard kit on new cars, combined with the rise of dangerous potholes on UK roads, has led to roadside breakdowns rising by almost 200,000 last year.
The AA recorded 3.63million calls last year, up from 3.45m in 2015. The breakdown provider said much of this was down to the fact more new cars have ditched spare wheels in favour of run-flat tyres or a bottle of tyre sealant.
Last year, the RAC and the AA attended nearly 180,000 calls where a motorist had a flat tyre, but had no spare. In fact, a third of new cars today are sold without a spare, as car makers look to save on space and weight. President of the AA, Edmund King told Auto Express he would like to see spares “as at least an option on new cars” to help prevent motorists from being stranded at the roadside.
Punctures are becoming increasingly common as motorists battle against failing roads (see opposite). The UK currently faces a 14-year backlog on pothole repairs, with the most recent reports showing a 19 per cent drop in repairs by local councils across England and Wales.
A survey of more than 25,000 drivers last year found 39 per cent had suffered tyre damage from hitting a pothole. The AA said the number of tyre-related callouts had steadily been rising, and is currently the top reason for a call-out – usurping battery faults at the top of the charts. To combat this, the RAC and AA have both developed multi-fit spare wheels that patrols can fit to 90 per cent of cars in an emergency.
King added: “Potholes often affect two tyres – front and rear on the same side – so if a car does have a spare, then the patrol’s multi-fit wheel is invaluable.”
King also pointed out that even drivers who own cars with a spare tyre aren’t always able to change it by themselves, or don’t have the basic knowledge of how to do it. “Big SUVS, for example, come with a tyre that can be too heavy for some people to lift, and they therefore call us for help,” added King.
One potential solution is greater education for drivers on basic car maintenance, like changing a wheel. Neil Greig, policy and research director at IAM Roadsmart, said the skill should feature as part of additional driving tuition for motorists, although he ruled out including it as part of the driving test.
He told Auto Express: “Many drivers told us they often don’t know much about how their car works and how to look after it. Changing a tyre is a life skill that can save valuable time sitting on the roadside waiting for help.”
Greig also said that there should be more help for motorists to look after their tyres, especially as the condition of UK roads worsens.
He added: “It’s difficult today for drivers to properly look after their tyres. Garages and forecourts should offer more free air points so drivers can keep their tyres correctly inflated.”