We can't or won't change tyres

UK research shows 36 per cent of Brits don’t know how to change a tyre -- and four per cent don’t know if they even have a spare. And the NRMA says Australians are reluctant to grab hold of a spare as well.

The NRMA’s Tim Pomroy says that while a flat tyre is one of the most common call-outs for their roadside assistance, it’s not always because callers can’t change the flat.

“Many people in Australia call for roadside assistance not because they can’t necessarily change a tyre but because they don’t want to,” Pomroy says. “A lot of people are on their way to work when it happens and don’t want to get their clothes dirty.”

In the UK, the research into flat tyres by British repair company Kwik Fit, suggested that the poort result was a symptom of the confusion caused by differing practices among car manufacturers.

Drivers reported varying methods offered by manufacturers to deal with a flat tyre, from smaller space saver tyres to providing a puncture repair kit instead of a spare tyre, Kwik Fit’s UK communications director Roger Griggs says.

“The recent trend among car manufacturers to offer space-saver spares or puncture repair kits instead of full-size spare tyres could be the cause of this confusion among motorists,” said Griggs.

“It’s is worrying how many drivers don’t know what provision they have for a puncture, but it’s even more of a concern to see how many have absolutely nothing in their car to deal with a deflated tyre.

“There are clearly gaps in knowledge around how to change a tyre, and indeed many cars are missing tools, which means even if a spare is carried some motorists will struggle to swap it over.”

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