Half of motorists admit they don't know how to change a tyre

1,000 people were polled about their motoring knowledge, driving habits and the causes of stress and anxiety on the road 

Less than half (44 per cent) said they knew how to change a tyre, but only 23 per cent would consider using a tyre filler as a temporary measure.

Although the Highway Code includes rules for breakdowns on motorways, 44 per cent of motorists wouldn’t know what action to take if they become stranded on the hard shoulder, which topped a list of the worst places to breakdown. Yet more than one in 10 (13 per cent) have used the hard shoulder for other, non-urgent reasons, such as a child needing the toilet, a comfort break or even a picnic.

 The arrival of autumn means darker evenings, and driving at night causes anxiety and stress for almost two thirds (64 per cent) of motorists. Their biggest concerns when loved ones are at the wheel are breakdowns (32 per cent), followed by flat tyres (24 per cent), other drivers (22 per cent) and potential collisions (22 per cent). A further 89% admit of motorists admit experiencing road rage - the most-frequent causes being dangerous drivers (30 per cent), cyclists (17 per cent) and heavy or gridlocked traffic (16 per cent).

Claire Fenton from Holts, which carried out the research, said: “Flat tyres can come at the worst times – when you’ve got a car full of children, are running late to a special occasion or on the way to work – and this can be inconvenient, time-consuming and stressful. "As well as highlighting how many drivers feel stressed, anxious or angry on the road, it showed that many motorists wouldn’t know how to change a tyre on their car, or what to do if they break down on motorway hard shoulder." Holts make Tyreweld, an emergency tyre repair solution, which instantly re-inflates and repairs a punctured tyre so you can complete your journey in safety.