Vehicle faults ignored by most motorists
Research from Uswitch has revealed that more than half of motorists continue driving their cars after noticing vehicle faults.
It found that 57% of drivers admitted to ignoring issues despite potential safety issues.
Among those who continued driving despite observing faults, 53% cited tyre-related issues. From September 2023 to 2024, over 8,000 motorists were convicted for driving with defective tyres, an offence that can result in three penalty points and fines of up to £2,500 per tyre.
Other common issues regularly ignored are malfunctioning wipers and a damaged windshield, as well as faulty lights.
Vehicle faults
The main reasons for neglecting basis maintenance flagged by drivers were a lack of time to arrange the repair (38%), rising repair costs (10%), and not realising the fault was a serious problem (10%).
Uswitch car expert Leoni Moninska, said: “Stay on top of maintenance. Book your car’s annual MOT to ensure it’s safe to drive. If you receive any MOT advisories or spot a fault yourself, attend to the issue as quickly as possible.
“Also, ensure you have adequate insurance. Car insurance doesn’t just cover accidents or theft. Depending on the policy and add-ons you opt for, you may also be able to receive financial support for certain repairs. For example, windscreen cover allows you to get any chips and cracks fixed, or even a replacement if the damage is severe.
“Dealing with issues early is the best way to save money and avoid further, more costly damage.”
