A recent survey from motoring solutions specialist, easytrip, has revealed that three out of four motorists have had a punctured tyre over the last 12 months, with a quarter of motorists surveyed having experienced one in the last three months. In a move that will help motorists minimise the hassle of a punctured tyre, easytrip has partnered with car servicing and tyre retailer, Advance Pitstop, to launch Puncture Protect, giving easytrip members unlimited puncture repairs at any of Advance Pitstop’s 30 outlets nationwide.

Fixing a tyre

The easytrip survey also revealed that when it comes to fixing a puncture, 55% of the easytrip survey respondents said they would call into the nearest tyre dealer as soon as possible, while 21% visited their local car garage and 5% went to the car dealership they bought their car in.

Almost one fifth of those who received punctures, replaced the damaged tyre with the spare. 10% more males than females admitted to driving on a spare tyre for a long period of time before getting the puncture repaired.

Puncture repairs can be costly but with Puncture Protect, all easytrip members can avail of unlimited puncture repairs from only €9.95 for 12 months.

Tyre checks

The easytrip research also showed that a staggering 47% of motorists admitted to only checking tyres for inflation levels and defects a few times each year, with 1 in 10 confirming that that their tyres are only inspected by a mechanic at the car’s annual service.  These findings align with the national figures recorded by the National Car Testing Service (NCTS) between 2012 and 2014 where tyre condition was listed as the second* most common reason for NCT failures.

General Manager of easytrip, Colin Delaney, said: “Experiencing a puncture is a far more frequent occurrence with Irish drivers than we had expected.  It’s also worrying to discover that nearly half of those surveyed don’t check their tyres on a regular basis, including the spare tyre.  A small cut or bulge in a tyre that goes unnoticed can increase the chance of a blowout, while driving on underinflated tyres can increase your fuel consumption by up to 4%**. Checking your tyres regularly for defects, including tyre pressure, can not only help prevent a puncture from occurring but can also save motorists money at the pump”.

Marketing Director of Advance Pitstop, Eddie Ryan said: “We are delighted to be partnering with easytrip to offer their customers puncture repair.  The easytrip survey provided some worrying findings, in particular, the low level of care shown by motorists for their tyres. Your tyres are your car’s only contact with the road and as such they should be looked after correctly on a regular basis”.

Eddie Ryan, Advance Pitstop, pictured with Colin Delaney, Easytrip