Winter breakdowns on the rise across the UK
More and more Brits are breaking down in winter weather, our new research reveals
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From November 2023 to February 2024, there was a total of 90,852 breakdowns on British roads – an 11.3% increase from the same period a year before (81,617 total).
We've obtained this data through a freedom of information (FOI) request to National Highways.
Keep reading to find out more stats and facts about winter breakdowns below:
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Why are Brits breaking down in the winter?
According to the data, tyres were reported as the most common cause of winter breakdowns (November to February) in the UK for three years running.
However, the number of tyre issues causing breakdowns increased to 16,943 between November 2023 and February 2024, compared to 15,083 a year earlier (a 12.3% rise) and 13,680 in 2021/22 (a 23.9% rise).
Tyres are the biggest cause of winter breakdowns, at 18.6% of the total, but here are the top five reasons reported by drivers last winter:
Tyre issues – 16,943 (18.6% of total)
Loss of power – 6,572 (7.2% of total), which is up 4.5% compared to a year earlier (6,289)
Engine – 2,918 (3.2% of total), which is up 6.3% compared to a year earlier (2,744)
Out of fuel – 2,263 (2.5% of total), which is up by just one compared to a year earlier (2,262)
Clutch/gears – 1,985 (2.2% of total), which is up 10.4% compared to a year earlier (1,798)
(‘Unknown', ‘other’ and ‘not recorded’ accounted for 54,787 responses but were excluded from this list for clarity.)
Sam Sheehan, our motoring editor, added some advice: “Getting a puncture is a case of rotten luck. But you can help to avoid tyre-related breakdowns by keeping your tyres at the recommended pressure and changing them when the tread gets too low, or they get too old (e.g. when they’re 7-10 years old or start cracking).”
The most likely day of the winter for breakdowns
Another interesting finding from the FOI data is that, statistically, 8 February is the most common day for a winter breakdown.
Despite having the fewest days, the winter month with the most breakdowns was February, where 21,959 happened in February 2024 – a 22.7% increase from the 17,892 in February a year earlier.
And, between November 2023 and February 2024, the 8th of the month was the day that saw the most breakdowns – 3,332 in total.
So, if you’re planning on driving your used Volkswagen or any other vehicle to a big sporting event on Saturday 8 February 2025 – such as England vs. France in the Six Nations or Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Chelsea in the FA Cup – it’s worth giving your car a health check before hitting the road.
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