If you are one of those drivers who breaks out in a cold sweat at the thought of checking their engine oil then fear not, you are not alone, there are thousands of drivers who feel ‘uncomfortable’ about doing routine safety checks on their car.
A survey of 2,000 car owners found that almost a quarter were potentially ignoring potential bigger problems further down the line, and maybe even endangering themselves, by driving a car that hasn’t had basic checks such as tyre pressure, or ignoring a warning light on the dashboard.
The research from online garage finder Fixter found that only four out of ten motorists were capable of changing their own windscreen wipers, and almost 20 per cent had not acted despite a warning light flashing at them.
"It's worrying to see so many are unable to perform basic maintenance on their cars,” said the Fixter report.
“Not only is this a financial issue - the phrase ‘a stitch in time saves nine’ is extremely relevant to cars - it poses huge safety problems.
“A tyre blowing out because the tread was too low or running your car without enough oil can cause serious accidents.”
Other revelations from the survey found that 29 per cent never check their engine coolant levels, 22 per cent don’t look at their engine oil, however washer fluid might be a bit less stressful as only 14 per cent have never checked it. Ironically, eight out of ten surveyed said that they believe it is dangerous not to carry out regular checks.
“During the pandemic, we saw car use drop significantly as people were confined to their homes.
But now the world has re-opened, vehicle use is getting back to where it was, with millions using their cars multiple times every day.
“There’s never been a better time than right now to ensure your car is safe to run, with just a few safety checks that absolutely anyone can learn.
“As well as these small safety checks, it's also important to have your car thoroughly serviced by a professional to ensure it remains safe and retains its resale value.”