Inflation and the cost-of-living crisis are worryingly causing young drivers not to maintain their cars properly, risking their safety and that of other road users, research from the RAC has found*.
A quarter of young drivers aged 17-24 (26%) say they have put off necessary repairs to their cars to save money while nearly three-in-10 (28%) are not servicing their vehicles as frequently as they should. Seventeen per cent also admit to taking the dangerous decision to avoid replacing their tyres. The comparison to drivers of all ages is stark as only around one-in-10 (8%) say they have made these cutbacks.
Overall, 38% of drivers say they have reduced their spending on their cars, whether that’s switching to a cheaper insurer (19%), servicing their vehicles less (12%) or putting off needed repairs (11%). However, in sharp contrast nearly two-thirds (64%) of young drivers aged 17-24 say they have made some form of motoring cutbacks. Most concerning of all from a road safety perspective is the fact that 6% of this age group admit to the illegal step of deliberately avoiding putting their cars through their annual MOT. Furthermore, 9% of young drivers admit to having stopped servicing their vehicles altogether.
The research also found that 69% of drivers surveyed found the cost of servicing and repairing their vehicles has risen in the past year (62% in 2022). This figure rises dramatically to more than three-quarters of those under 25 (77%), which shows just how much of an impact rising prices are having on young drivers in particular. The parts of the UK that have felt the effects of these increases the most are the South West (76%) and Wales (76%) and London (70%).
The RAC’s study also found that nine-in-10 (87%) young drivers questioned had made changes to the way they use their vehicles to save money, compared to three-quarters (76%) of drivers of all ages. Nearly half (46%) said they were avoiding more expensive fuel stations while a similar proportion (48%) claimed to have been driving more efficiently to make their fuel last as long as possible. And, more than a third (35%) said they had cut down on the number of long-distance trips they make.