More than half of UK motorists admit they can't change a tyre

A new survey has revealed more than half of UK motorists don't know how to change a car tyre.
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Car care product manufacturer Holts has quizzed people across the country about their motoring knowledge, driving habits and the causes of stress and anxiety on the road.

In a survey of 1,000 people the company found 44 per cent know how to change a tyre.

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The study has also revealed that nearly half of drivers wouldn’t know what to do if they broke down on a motorway hard shoulder.

Although the Highway Code includes rules for breakdowns on motorways, 44 per cent of motorists wouldn’t know what action to take if they become stranded on the hard shoulder, which topped a list of the worst places to breakdown.

Around 13 per cent admitted to having used the hard shoulder for other non-urgent reasons, such as a child needing the toilet, a comfort break or even a picnic.

The arrival of autumn means darker evenings and driving at night causes anxiety and stress for almost two thirds (64 per cent) of motorists.

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Their biggest concerns when loved ones are at the wheel are breakdowns (32 per cent), followed by flat tyres (24 per cent), other drivers (22 per cent) and potential collisions (22 per cent).

A further 89 per cent admitted to experiencing road rage, the most-frequent causes being dangerous drivers (30 per cent), cyclists (17 per cent) and heavy or gridlocked traffic (16 per cent).

Meanwhile, motorists see Matt Dawson as the celebrity who would be most helpful in the event of breakdown — the former England rugby player beating car-loving former Top Gear presenters Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and Chris Evans.

Claire Fenton from Holts, said: “Flat tyres can come at the worst times – when you’ve got a car full of children, are running late to a special occasion or on the way to work – and this can be inconvenient, time-consuming and stressful. As well as highlighting how many drivers feel stressed, anxious or angry on the road, it showed that many motorists wouldn’t know how to change a tyre on their car or what to do if they break down on motorway hard shoulder.

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“Tyreweld emergency Tyre repair is the perfect solution for punctures and has been designed and fully tested by our in-house lab team to be as quick and easy to use as possible, helping get drivers safely on their way again without the need for a wheel change at the side of a busy road.

“And car users will be keen to have Matt on board in case of emergency because who better to help push your car to safety than an ex-rugby player?!”

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