Young motorists more likely to avoid car maintenance

Young motorists more likely to avoid car maintenance

New and younger drivers have been found to be the most inclined to disregard standard car maintenance, in a new study from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

In a survey of 2,000 drivers concentrating on car servicing and overall maintenance, an atrocious 10%, or one-in-ten, of young drivers (those aged between 18 and 24) has never had any servicing taken out on their vehicle. This shocking figure surely goes to show why so many car insurance providers are offering such high prices to new drivers. The figure for the 25 to 34 year old age bracket does not get much higher, with 12% of them not even opting for a basic servicing.

On the other hand, older drivers are more likely to have their car serviced regularly, with only 2% of drivers over 55 relying on their car not being serviced, and 5% of 35 to 54 year olds doing the same.

Forgoing regular servicing can severely reduce the efficiency of your vehicle, as well as increasing the likelihood of a breakdown, and increasing wear and tear on such safety-important parts as brakes and tyres. The Chief Executive of SMMT, Paul Everitt, commented: "A properly maintained car is not only more fuel-efficient, but will be safer and more reliable. Putting off service and repair work is a false economy with risks and costs outweighing short-term gains."

The survey also highlighted that 57% (over half of those polled) of younger drivers did not know about the software upgrades available to modern cars, and that updating vehicle software is one way to help increase car efficiency.

You can read more about the report here: http://www.smmt.co.uk/2013/01/younger-drivers-run-risk-through-service-skipping/

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