Millions of Brits 'have bad brakes'
Date: 18/03/2008 12:00:00
More than four million UK motorists are driving with inadequate brakes, new research has claimed.
According to Kwik-Fit, 12 per cent of drivers have problems with their braking systems, with two per cent experiencing two or more brake issues.
Half of motorists admitted to driving with potentially faulty brakes for the last month without doing anything about the issue, with 17 per cent saying they have done so for the past year - something that may have a bearing on their car insurance policies.
The most common braking complaint was found to be hearing a grinding noise while braking, followed by experiencing squealing sounds and feeling brakes pull to one side.
"Brakes should be inspected as soon as braking system symptoms are noticed - it's in all road users' interests for you to be able to bring your car to a halt at the time of asking," commented David White, customer services director at Kwik-Fit.
Recent research by esure found that a third of drivers avoid taking their cars to the garage when they experience a problem in order to avoid having to pay for repairs.