Putting the wrong type of fuel in a car at petrol stations is still a common mistake among drivers, with men twice as likely as women to make that mistake.
According to the AA’s annual breakdown review, male drivers are also more likely to suffer breakdowns due to traffic accidents, though female drivers are more likely to lose their car keys or damage their tyres.
Human factor
“While we might be analysing cars, our annual breakdown review can be a bit like a sociology exercise,” said
Conor Faughnan
, director of consumer affairs at AA Ireland.
“We find that women, for example, won’t think twice about calling us out to sort a puncture, whereas men will definitely hesitate even when the wheel nuts are machine-tightened.
“Every year when we conduct this exercise there’s always a stark difference between men and women, particularly when it comes to call-outs relating to human error.”
Flat batteries accounted for 22 per cent of all AA breakdown call-outs in 2014, while tyre failures contributed to almost 15 per cent.
Tread carefully
“Tyre failures can arise for any number of reasons, such as poor road surfaces, but quite often they’re self-inflicted,” Mr Faughnan said. “The legal minimum tread depth for tyres is 1.6mm, which in the AA’s view is not enough; we recommend at least 3mm. If your tyres are worn it is potentially very dangerous and puts lives at risk.”
Malfunctioning clutches and worn-out engines also prompted drivers to call for assistance. Faulty steering, suspension and braking systems caused one-fifth of breakdowns, while problems with electrical systems caused almost a third.