Survey finds motorists won’t deal with flat tyre at roadside
Only 39% say they would attempt to deal with a roadside puncture
Largest proportion (41%) would call on a breakdown recovery service for assistance, while 13% would seek help from a family member, friend or colleague
22% of female drivers would tackle a puncture themselves, compared to 59% of men
Younger drivers are least likely to deal with a puncture without calling on a third party
14% of respondents have never checked whether their car is fitted with a spare tyre or inflation kit
All Vredestein passenger car tyres are developed with multiple layers of reinforced materials to offer superior levels of puncture resistance
A survey commissioned by Apollo Tyres has found that a clear majority of motorists in the United Kingdom would not attempt to deal with a tyre puncture at the roadside themselves. Just 39% say they would use the car’s supplied spare tyre or inflation kit, compared to 41% that say they would instead call on a vehicle breakdown service for assistance, and 13% who would seek help from a family member, friend or colleague.
Significantly, 14% of the 1,000 motorists polled said they didn’t even know if their vehicle was fitted with a spare tyre or emergency tyre inflation kit.
Older motorists are more likely to tackle a repair themselves. The survey found that 44% of motorists aged 45 to 54 would use a spare tyre or inflation kit, compared to 28% of those aged 18 to 24. Women are less likely to deal with a puncture themselves in order to continue their journey, with 22% saying they would attempt to use a spare tyre or inflation kit compared to 59% of men.
Vredestein premium tyres for passenger cars, which are manufactured in Europe by Apollo Tyres, incorporate multiple layers of reinforced materials that resist cuts and penetration by sharp objects.
Yves Pouliquen, Group Head of Sales and Marketing at Apollo Tyres, says: “In some situations it might not be possible for a stranded motorist to contact someone for assistance to deal with a puncture, so it is important that they have the essential knowledge and equipment to continue their journey. Our survey suggests that younger drivers are least likely to tackle a puncture themselves, so it might be very beneficial for guidance to be provided to everyone learning to drive, and for that knowledge to be assessed as part of the test procedure.”