95.5% will not buy winter tyres this year

Date: 17/10/2011

Fewer than five per cent of motorists intend to buy winter tyres this year, which could lead to a higher number of accidents on the road.

Research published by Manheim Auctions has found that 95.5 per cent of respondents to its surveys were not planning to make this investment despite the predictions of cold weather and snow.

Two-fifths of consumers cited the cost as a major disincentive, while a quarter did not believe that the weather would be bad enough to justify the purchases and 16 per cent did not know what winter tyres are.

Craig Mailey, marketing director at Manheim Auctions, described winter tyres as an "investment in safety".

He said: "They will help to keep you on the move and on the road, reduce the risk of accidents and can be used over several winters."

His comments follow recent recommendations by TyreSafe that the poor condition of regular tyres can give people an even greater risk of accident and called on motorists to check the condition of their treads.