Oct 2011: No Winter Tyres for Me - Say Majority British Motorists

An online survey conducted by online research firm ‘One Poll Manhiem Auctions’ throws up the surprising (should we say shocking) statistics that less than 5 percent British motorists intend to purchase winter tyres this year.

What makes the result even more puzzling is that fact that the weather bureau has already announced that winter this year will be more severe than usual and can very well lead to chaotic roads and traffic conditions.

The Survey

The survey was conducted by One Poll Manhiem Auctions in August this year. Just before the onset of winter, August would be ideal time for people to consider their winter tyre purchases. A total size of 3000 respondents was targeted for this survey.

The Survey Results

An overwhelming 95.5% of the respondents said that they have no plans of switching over to winter tyres.

The reasons for this decision range from cost considerations to ignorance about what winter tyres are. Another reason forwarded by respondents for not opting for winter tyres was their belief that the weather was not so bad as to warrant it and also an amazing self confidence in their own driving skills and ability to maneuver their cars in all weather conditions.

Numbers Talk

Let us get down to the numbers involved. Out of the 3000 motorists surveyed, 41% said that cost was an inhibiting factor to get winter tyres. 28% of the respondents felt that the weather conditions were not so bad as to justify the expense.

Maybe the unsaid message here is that if the winter tyres were a little on the ‘low expense’ side, they might consider switching. Tyre companies, are you listening? Maybe something can be worked out. You may want to explore this area. Surprisingly, 16% of the people surveyed had no idea what a ‘winter tyre’ was.

Taking the survey a step further, Manhiem Auctions wanted to know if people drove differently in winter. No surprises here. A majority of the respondents (92%) said that they did drive differently in winter to meet the challenges of snow on roads.

Out of the remaining 8%, who said they did not drive any differently in the snow, about 63% were extremely confident about their driving skills and did not feel that snow would in any way hinder their driving. They were sure that they could handle all weather condition just fine.

The Conclusions and Way Forward

The fact is that winter driving is tough, given the unique challenges of snow and slippery roads. Investment in high quality winter tyres can help prevent accidents on roads. From the survey results, it appears that at least one section of motorists is unaware of the benefits of winter tyres. This indicates a gap in communication of the message.

It becomes the responsibility of tyre companies, organisations like ours who are committed to providing you the best tyre deals and tyre information online and associated partners within the industry to ensure the advantages of winter tyres are communicated to motorists.

The decision to buy or to not buy is theirs alone, but let us at least make them aware of the reasons for choosing winter tyres.