You can trust Skoda to think of life’s practical aspects.
It’s just a very Skoda thing in our experience. They like to have fun, don’t get us wrong. But they also do serious incredibly convincingly. Like your dad.
And with another Bank Holiday Weekend looming, Skoda wants to remind us precisely what we should be doing to prep our cars before venturing out. In a way that your dad would.
Yet a little less dictatorial in language, perhaps.
To be fair, Skoda’s research - on which their advice is based - makes for eyebrow-raising reading.
Identifying that many folk are overlooking what are, essentially, fundamental driving practices.
Such as routinely checking vehicle tyre pressure and fluid levels, to ensure driver and occupant safety. And to safeguard against avoidable issues en route to your destination.
A route that will almost certainly include a lot of back seat driving, unscheduled toilet breaks, sat nav rage and smaller occupant fall-outs based on tiredness/boredom.
At least when the author of this blog was of youth, David Bellamy’s iconic ‘I Spy Cars’ travel compendium was always close to hand. Allowing them to spend long journeys peeling their eyes for a cornucopia of rare breed vehicles of the day to chalk off as soon as they had visuals on them. Providing he did.
Anyway, we/I digress.
Fail To Prepare. Prepare To Fail
Back to the shocking business of neglecting to carry out the most rudimentary of vehicle checks before hitting the roads this Bank Holiday Weekend.
The last before Christmas, just to remind you. And to put more of a damper on things than the inevitable/predictable Bank Holiday Weekend weather forecast.
Apparently the research undertaken by our friends over at Skoda UK has cast light on a number of damning observations.
Such as, nearly a third of drivers fail to make sure that the tyres on their vehicle are inflated to the correct psi.
Or that some one in five motorists embark on their Bank Holiday Weekend pilgrimage without previously arranging breakdown cover or having a roadside assistance package in place.
It gets worse.
A staggering 53% of UK drivers don’t check their oil, coolant or screen wash levels on a regular basis. The latter oversight potentially costing those culpable with a £100 on-the-spot fine and 3 points on their license should they be randomly pulled over, as this is considered a dangerous realisation.
On the back of these revelations, Skoda UK has penned a Bank Holiday Weekend checklist to help car owners keep their vehicles in a road-worthy condition.
But before we reveal these, let’s deep dive into more of these alarming Skoda stats.
What. Really?
Not that we’re advocates of employing scare tactics, but seriously.
Skoda UK research tells us that 30% of drivers forget to check their tyre pressures prior to setting off. Now, as well as impacting your fuel economy, more importantly under-inflated tyres can significantly compromise braking and turning. Which in turn, could lead to much worse outcomes.
Meanwhile 53% of motorists questioned by Skoda UK admitted to only checking fluid levels once every three months or less. With 5% confirming that they never checked.
Such short-sightedness can heighten the risk of breakdowns, whilst also contributing to damage to a vehicle’s internal workings.
And if you’re amongst the 18% of drivers who don’t possess roadside assistance packages, the knock-on effect doesn’t need further explanation.
And then there’s occupant risk-factoring which is another aspect only too often - and casually - overlooked by many holiday-makers with driving responsibilities. According to this very same Skoda study, available data shows that 43% of drivers fail to carry additional water in case of an emergency situation unfolding. Or pre-empting being stuck in long delays.
And remember. What Bank Holiday Weekends DON’T involve tailbacks and motorway snarl ups as part of long-held tradition.
Also in terms of not thinking ahead, more than half (52%) don’t appreciate the long headedness of squirreling away a first aid kit in the car.
Here’s Skoda UK’s Top Bank Holiday Weekend Driving Tips
Inflate Tyres
There’s really no excuses in this day and age. Simply flip the fuel filler cap on your vehicle to reveal the all-important optimum tyre pressures chart for YOUR vehicle. Correctly inflated tyres result in improved fuel economy and ensures that your car accelerates, brakes and turns as the manufacturer intended it to.
Check Your Tyre Treads
Aside from being illegal, running a vehicle with incorrect tyre tread depths puts the driver at greater risk of accidents. Therefore it’s absolutely imperative that as a driver you keep on top of your tyre tread depths. Especially before embarking on a long journey.
Hi-Viz Clothing Advisable
Whilst a road law in many European countries, here in the UK it’s not a legal requirement to keep one in your car. However, keeping a hi-viz jacket to hand means that you’re constantly visible to other road users in the event of a breakdown. Instances where you might well find yourself stood on the roadside.
Carry Water In Your Vehicle
Sounds like a no-brainer, but you’d be surprised to learn how few people keep a bottle of water in their vehicle. Remember, if you’re stuck on Chris Rea’s Road to Hell, then the threat of dehydration is real. Dehydration can cause fatigue and a dip in concentration levels.
Double Check Fluid Levels
Minimise chances of breakdowns by keeping regular tabs on your vehicle’s coolant, oil and washer fluid levels. And avoid a fine and potential points on your license by maintaining plenty of screen wash in said reservoir.
Make Sure Vehicle’s Air-con Is Working
Maintenance and system health checks are hugely important when it comes to air-con. Timely re-gassing is key to keeping the air-conditioning assemblage is fully operational and running smoothly at all times.
Keep A First Aid Kit In Your Car
Always useful to have in the event of an emergency situation whilst on your travels.
Take Regular Breaks
Remember to plan your journey in advance, always setting off in good time. But perhaps most importantly take a quick 15 minute break every couple of hours to stay alert.
WCC Neston: Your Go-to Independent Skoda Specialists
Don't forget, WCC Neston is here for ALL your Skoda needs. Be it servicing (oil/gearbox/inspection), diagnostics, warranty work and MOT's.
Don't hesitate to get in touch with our friendly customer service team who'll be able to book your vehicle in for whatever work it requires at the time.