Strathclyde Tyres Blog

Four in ten motorists say they will use the car less in 2012 if the costs associated with driving continue to rise, according to AXA's motoring census of 2011. One in 13 say that they have already been forced to stop.

Almost half (44%) admit they enjoy driving less than they used to, largely down to the cost (68%). This is striking in comparison to 2010 figures, when cost clearly had less impact on motorists' habits (just 38% admitted they enjoyed driving less than they used to, and 38% blamed the cost).

One in seven (14.6%) of British motorists say that they will not replace the tyres on their cars until they fail an MOT or are flagged as illegal by a garage during a service, according to a new survey by VanRental.co.uk.

A further 47.8% use their car's tyres right down to the legal limit of 1.6mm before they replace them, ignoring tyre safety advice, which shows that braking distances increase steadily once tread depth gets below 3mm.

Drivers in Scotland are more likely to have bought winter tyres this year than drivers elsewhere in the UK. According to new AA Populus Poll figures, 11% of drivers in Scotland have purchased winter tyres, with eight percent of North East drivers following suit.

The study, which polled 18,183 AA members, found that overall four percent of drivers have bought winter tyres, up from three percent of drivers last year.

Road safety charity the IAM (Institute of Advanced Motorists) is warning that many of Britain’s roads will become more hazardous for motorists as the frosts and local council cuts bite.

In spite of the last two winters of severe cold, snow and ice, many councils are planning to cut back on winter road services, including salting, exposing motorists to dangerous driving conditions. Last year there was a 37% increase in the number of cars overturning in snow and ice, according to Department for Transport figures.