Young drivers are more confident performing basic car maintenance than their parents, according to the latest research.
A study by insurance company LV found that half (50 percent) of 17-24-year-old drivers said that they would find it easy to perform some basic car maintenance tasks by themselves. However, less than a third (31 percent) of drivers aged over 45 said they would have no problem repairing a simple issue with their cars.
LV says that changes the have been made to the driving test curriculum and the advent of YouTube and other online resources are having a ‘significant impact’ on younger drivers’ mechanical confidence. The company pointed to changes that were made to the driving test in 2004, which saw stricter testing of mechanical knowledge, as well as changes in 2017 that included new ‘show me, tell me’ questions on how the car works.
The insurance firm also cited Google data, which shows that 95 percent of 18-24-year-olds use YouTube as a tool for research, compared with an average of 68 percent for those who were aged over 35.
According to LV, the ability to take on minor maintenance tasks could save motorists money, with UK households owning more than one car spending a combined total of £390 million a year on unnecessary repairs.
Tony Hill, operations and compliance manager at Gemini Accident Repair Centres, said: ‘Every driver should have a basic level of car maintenance knowledge, such as how to check the engine oil or asses the tyre wear. This is primarily important for safety, but it could also help motorists save money by spotting easily fixable repairs early on. It’s encouraging to see younger generations displaying these skills.’
