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Poor vehicle maintenance contributed to 1,700 road casualties in 2021
30 November 2022
The AA has found that defects and poor maintenance contributed to 1,700 road traffic accidents resulting in casualties during 2021. This figure has risen seven per cent compared with 2020.
- Faulty brakes were the most common defect and resulted in 740 casualties and 10 fatalities.
- Damaged tyres contributed to 491 casualties and 12 fatalities.
- Faults with steering and vehicle suspension contributed to 255 casualties and 6 fatalities.
Penny Stoolman from the AA reminded drivers that MOTs and servicing ‘can be life-saving interventions that reduce the number of road casualties across the country’.
She added, “These tragic stats show how many lives could have been saved had some simple home checks been carried out prior to setting off.”
Adding to this, recent research commissioned by road safety charity IAM RoadSmart found that one in ten motorists had put off replacing their tyre when the tread is low and seven per cent put off changing a punctured tyre.
If these figures represent the almost 36 million people who possess a full UK driving licence, up to 4.2 million drivers could be driving with unmaintained tyres and 2.5 million could be driving with a punctured tyre.
Director of Policy and Research at IAM RoadSmart Neil Greig said, “Our research has laid bare that far too many motorists have decided to put off potentially critical maintenance on their tyres.
“While we recognise the financial issues, many motorists will be facing during such difficult times, taking a chance with your tyres is simply not worth the risk when your own, and other road users’ safety is at risk.”
Contract hire and fleet management
We are always interested in the latest news about road safety and trust that you find the above information interesting.
Driver safety is a top priority at Marshall Leasing, which is why we provide inclusive servicing and MOTs with all of our contracts.
To find out more about how we can assist you in protecting your fleet drivers on the road, please get in touch with us at info@marshall-leasing.co.uk or by calling 01480 414541. Alternatively, please complete our contact form.
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