Drivers are calling for the widespread reintroduction of spare tyres to ensure all vehicles are equipped with a backup in the event of an accident or puncture.
A new survey of over 10,000 AA members found that 82 per cent of drivers supported the idea of having a spare tyre in their car.
It was highlighted that the need for a spare tyre has never been more pertinent given the state of Britain’s pothole-riddled roads.
It has been estimated that vehicle damage from potholes cost drivers a staggering £500million in 2023 alone, with a large portion of this being spent on replacement tyres.
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Research from the RAC found that only three per cent of new vehicles have a spare tyre
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Around 20 per cent of younger drivers admitted that they wouldn’t stop to consider whether a car they were purchasing had a spare tyre.
Some experts have suggested that manufacturers are producing vehicles without spare tyres to meet strict climate regulations.
By adding the additional weight of the tyre to the vehicle, some larger cars could be classified differently given the nation’s move towards SUVs and other big vehicles.
The RAC has stated that manufacturers are doing this to make the vehicles more fuel efficient, or in the case of electric cars, have an improved range.
Electric cars are also more likely to leave out a spare tyre given that it would usually be located where the electric battery would be.
Given that a spare tyre can weigh as much as 20kg, very few manufacturers include them as standard anymore.
Chris Wood, AA patrol of the year: “In previous times, if a vehicle suffered a punctured tyre, our patrols would simply fit the spare wheel and wave the member on their way.
“More recently, since manufacturers opted to fit an inflation kit instead of a spare wheel, it can take our patrols a couple of hours to resolve the same issue.”
The AA urges drivers who have a spare tyre to ensure that it is serviceable and safe in the event that it needs to be used.
Other motorists who do not have a spare tyre in their vehicle are advised to get one in case one of their existing tyres gets a puncture.
The AA uses its “Multi-Fit” wheel to help people who have broken down carry on their journey even if they don’t have a spare tyre in their car.
It has been used over 185,000 times as the motoring organisation estimates that it is used for around 1,000 customers every week.
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The AA Multi-Fit wheel has been used almost 200,000 times
AA
The design of the wheel fits around 90 per cent of vehicles that do not have a spare tyre as standard and has been developed to fit larger cars, SUVs and vans.
The wheel can carry more weight and is reverse compatible with the existing tyre, with the AA saying it can offer a solution for double or even triple punctures.