21 per cent of car owners fail to safety check their vehicle

It has been reported that as many as one in five motorists fail to carry out basic monthly car maintenance checks. These checks may help to identify problems which, left untreated, could lead to a road accident and costly car insurance claim.

The Mirror has reported that a recent survey from one British insurance firm has shown that 7.2 million or 21 per cent of car insurance policy holders do not perform simple motor maintenance checks, such as checking the thickness of tyre treads, which could help to greatly reduce a motorist's chance of being involved in a road accident.

Of the car owners polled, just two in five motorists regularly checked their tyre treads, while less than half checked their vehicle's water coolant levels.

Almost a third of drivers surveyed admitted that they failed to safety check their cars as they felt basic car maintenance checks were unnecessary or only required before long car journeys.

One in five motorists polled also admitted that they didn't know how to properly check and maintain their vehicle.

Insurance expert Ben Tyte has encouraged car owners to regularly check their tyre treads and water coolant levels.

"Every day, we make considerations that will keep ourselves and our family healthy and safe and we should apply the same train of thought to ensuring our cars are safe and roadworthy."

"It's simple, straightforward and requires just a few minutes to carry out basic checks, and doing so will give you peace of mind that your car is in a good condition and safe to be on the road," Tyte said.

Tue, 15 Feb 2011 02:48:00 GMT