National Highways has launched the next wave of its T.R.I.P. campaign, highlighting the real-world consequences that can occur when basic vehicle checks are overlooked.
The T.R.I.P. campaign encourages drivers to plan their journey in advance, including carrying out all necessary vehicle checks as well as factoring in rest stops before they set off on any long or significant journey this Spring.
More than half (53%) of UK driving licence holders say they have broken down on a major road before, yet 17% admit they don’t always carry out vehicle safety checks before setting off.
With breakdowns on major roads rising from 70,287 in spring 2024 to 71,254 during the same period in 2025, National Highways says the consequences of skipping T.R.I.P. checks are very real.
In fact, nearly a third (29%) of drivers surveyed who had experienced a breakdown believe it could have been avoided if they had carried out basic vehicle checks before their journey.
The acronym TRIP stands for:
- Top-up – fuel, water and oil;
- Rest – every two hours;
- Inspect – tyres and lights and
- Prepare – plan your journey ahead and check the traffic and weather forecasts.
The latest campaign wave goes live across paid, earned, shared and owned channels today
(20 March).
It aims to reduce the number of breakdowns, helping keep the Strategic Road Network moving, saving costs, and making journeys safer for everyone.
A stakeholder toolkit is available for local authorities to download and use.
The only way to properly ‘inspect’ tyres is to take each wheel off and check all round including inside sidewalls – who’s going to do that before a journey? Most of us (including myself I might add) usually are in the habit of giving a cursory look a the tyres when getting in and out of the car, to see if they ‘look a bit deflated’ and maybe – if the front wheels happen to be on full lock – a general glance at the front treads – for most of us that’s as far as it can be expected to go.
Incidentally, under ‘T’ for top-up, no mention of checking the brake fluid level?
Hugh Jones, South Wirral
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