Drivers fail to check spare tyres

Motorists who fail to check spare tyres are risking lives

More than a quarter of motorists never check the condition of their spare tyre, a survey has indicated.

The study, carried out by car repair company Kwik-Fit, said as many as 4% do not even carry a spare.

It also said that 1% of drivers never replace an un-roadworthy spare tyre, while the same number drive knowing they do not have a suitable back-up.

Motoring and safety groups have urged drivers to carry a spare and keep it properly maintained.

The survey also states that 28% of drivers fail to immediately replace a faulty spare.

Replace faulty spare

Alan Wilson, Kwik-Fit's national training manager, said: "Unfortunately, punctures always seem to happen at the most inconvenient time and place.

Bald tyres - 'slicks' - may be fine for a race car on a dry track, but no good at all for road vehicles on a wet road surface Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents

"This situation can only be made worse for those that have either failed to replace a faulty spare or that simply haven't checked the health of their spare, only to find it unusable at the time of asking."

The Suzy Lamplugh Trust, which promotes personal safety, urges people to check that their car is roadworthy before setting off on a journey.

It also says drivers should know what to do if they have to change their tyre.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents also highlights the importance of keeping tyre tread within legal limits - which is a minimum depth of 1.6mm.

Lives at risk

A spokesman said: "The actual area of contact between the car and the road through the tyres is small, roughly equivalent to four size eight men's shoes.

"Bald tyres - 'slicks' - may be fine for a race car on a dry track, but no good at all for road vehicles on a wet road surface."

An AA spokesman said: "If you drive with damaged or worn tyres you could not only be fined and in breach of your motor insurance policy, but you could also be endangering lives."

The maximum fine which a court can impose for using a car with a defective tyre is £2,500.

It is not a legal requirement to carry a spare or to keep it maintained to legal standards.