With the severe dip in temperatures over the past few days, the Automobile Association (AA) has issued a timely reminder to motorists to ensure batteries and tyres are in order.
Drivers being assisted with jump lead starts in the morning is a common sight in cold winter conditions, such as we are having now.
According to the AA’s annual breakdown review, worn out or faulty batteries are still the number one cause of breakdowns in Ireland. A review of their extensive data highlights how flat batteries accounted for nearly one quarter of all the AA’s call outs in the last 12 months.
The countrywide analysis of over 100,000 AA rescue assignments also revealed that tyre failures top the agenda for distressed Irish drivers. Over 15,000 road users experienced defected tyres, up one percent from the last commissioned review, which according to the AA, is often avoidable.
“Tyre failures can arise for any number of reasons such as poor road surfaces but quite often they are self-inflicted. 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,” said Conor Faughnan, director of consumer affairs, AA Ireland.
A native of Ennis, Colin McGann has been editor of The Clare Champion since August 2020. Former editor of The Clare People, he is a journalism and communications graduate of Dublin Institute of Technology.