Love might be in the air with Valentine’s Day on the horizon, but Welsh motorists aren’t extending any TLC to their cars, according to Bridgestone, with 74% of drivers never checking their tyres.
A survey conducted by Bridgestone amongst 500 motorists across the country revealed that nearly three-quarters of drivers don’t check their treads or pressures themselves, either never thinking about it, leaving it to the garage to do or asking their partners to check instead.
In addition, 29% of motorists admit to running tyres for up to 100 miles after they become illegal, with a further 15% continuing to drive on their tyres until they are bald.
With Valentine’s Day almost here, Bridgestone also discovered some car-related sources of disharmony between couples which could be fixed in a matter of seconds.
In a list of partner pet-hates, not putting the seat back (55%), leaving the music too loud (17%), changing the car temperature settings (17%) and not topping the fuel tank back up (14%) top the charts.
Bridgestone’s North Region Vice President Andrea Manenti said that while many motorists view their car as their pride and joy, now might be the perfect time to show a bit more affection.
“So many of us love our vehicles and attach a number of fond memories to them. However, our research suggests that they would benefit from some much-deserved care and attention, particularly when it comes to tyre
“They are the only contact points between the car and the road surface, so a bit of time checking the treads and pressures can be all the difference between stopping safely and encountering a potentially dangerous incident.”
“Our results tie in with a recording of 4,596 total casualties from tyre-related incidents on roads in the past years and there being in the region of 10 million illegal tyres on Britain’s roads each year.”
Bridgestone’s research aligns with the company’s Become a Bridgestone Road Safety Hero initiative, which provides basic tips for drivers around tyre care to ensure they stay as safe as possible.
Andrea added, “We become road safety heroes when we help educate people about road safety, particularly the importance of tyres and good tyre maintenance to avoid accidents on the road.
“It only takes small gestures to become a road safety hero; everyone can start by adopting the right approach and behaviours such as checking your tyres regularly & then passing on this knowledge to our friends, neighbours, families and local communities.”