Half skip road-trip checks

A YouGov survey commissioned by The Motor Ombudsman has found that close to half (49%) of drivers don’t personally check the condition of their vehicle before heading off on holiday.

Of these, slightly more than one in 10 people (13%) choose to do nothing at all, whilst a third (33%) pass on the responsibility either to a mechanic (16%) or a personal contact (17%).

The online study of over 1,600 British motorists was carried out to mark today’s launch of The Motor Ombudsman’s ‘Stay Covered This Summer’ marketing campaign. The two-month long initiative has been unveiled to highlight the added ‘cover’ that consumers have when using a Motor Ombudsman-accredited garage for ad hoc or routine maintenance, and to reinforce the importance of keeping a car in good condition, especially when embarking on a long journey.

The poll revealed that female drivers who have taken their car on holiday are less keen than their male counterparts to check that everything is in good working order, and are twice more likely than men to resort to getting help from a garage or an acquaintance (49% versus 20% respectively).

Conversely, the over 55s are the most conscientious when it comes to making sure that their car is up to scratch for the journey ahead, with 86% of them having their car checked or taking a look at it themselves.

In addition, those living in the Midlands (86%) and in Wales (89%) seem the most eager to ensure that they have ticked all the boxes to help avoid any unexpected stoppages.

When questioned why drivers tend to shy away from looking over their vehicle, or from having someone else checking it in advance of going on their vacation, more than two-thirds (68%) of the respondents who stated that they don’t check their car or get it checked, explained that they didn’t feel that there was any need to give it the once over. Furthermore, nearly a quarter (22%) said that they wouldn’t know how to evaluate their vehicle’s condition.