Nearly one-fifth (17%) of UK drivers admit they skip essential vehicle maintenance checks before a road trip, new research from National Highways reveals.
In 2024, there were 282,949 reported breakdowns on the UK’s motorways and major A roads. On average, surveyed drivers who have experienced a breakdown estimated nearly an hour of added delays to their journey.
National Highways says while many of these breakdowns could have been avoided if car safety checks had been conducted, only 60% of those surveyed see these as essential, with many prioritising packing drinks and snacks instead.
The research, based on a poll of 1,487 adults, shows that prepping and packing the car adds 16-30 minutes on average to the total road trip time. For those travelling with kids, it typically takes longer (45 minutes to an hour on average).
The most common tasks are packing drinks and snacks (86%) and spare clothes (86%), charging entertainment or mobile devices (77%) and making packed lunches (66%).
Only two-thirds (65%) check their tyre tread depth before a long journey, 66% check the oil level and top up if necessary and just 63% plan appropriate rest stops for their journey.
The main reasons why nearly a fifth (17%) of drivers put off doing vehicle safety checks before leaving the house is that they rely on someone else to do it (28%) or assume it’s covered by their annual MOT check (21%).
Sheena Hague, director of road safety at National Highways, said: “Packing for a trip is rarely straightforward, especially when the family is involved. While most focus on packing personal essentials, simple – but important – things like checking your tyres, topping up your oil and fuel, planning your route and checking the weather forecast are often overlooked.”
To coincide with this new research, National Highways held its first T.R.I.P. and Sip event in partnership with Halfords earlier this month.
T.R.I.P. is an acronym which reminds drivers to:
- Top–up – Fuel, oil and screen wash
- Rest – Plan your journey in advance with regular stops to prevent driver fatigue
- Inspect – Check tyre pressure and tread
- Prepare – Have a plan for severe weather conditions
The event, which took place at the Halfords store in Colchester, gave drivers a hands-on opportunity to learn crucial vehicle safety checks. Experts demonstrated how to check tyre pressure and tread depth, oil and fluid levels, and overall vehicle readiness.
Morgan Jamison, head of marketing (garages) at Halfords, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with National Highways for this campaign, which we hope will help spotlight to drivers the importance of being prepared for any road trip.”
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