Drivers' Summer Holiday Preparation - Lying Partners and Crossing Their Fingers
Jessica Bird | Tuesday 14th July 2026 8:14am
- Drivers are set to travel an average of 443 miles on UK holidays and 896 miles abroad
- More than one in six drivers will neglect vital pre-travel checks
DAs new data reveals the distances that British drivers will be travelling for their summer breaks this year, many motorists admit to starting holiday journeys with either a lie or a prayer.
In research carried out for Kwik Fit, the UK’s leading automotive servicing and repair company, one in eleven drivers (9%) admit to telling their partner or family that they had thoroughly checked the car before setting off, even though they hadn’t.* A similar proportion (9%) of drivers confess that they had set off on their summer holiday journey knowing there was an issue with their car but simply crossed their fingers and hoped that it would last until they got home again.
The research also found that one in eight drivers (13%) have broken down on their way to or from their holiday destination, with 12% suffering tyre problems such as a puncture, blow out or flat tyre.
Thousands of miles without checks
UK holidaymakers are set to drive significant distances in their own cars this summer. Those going to UK destinations will cover an average of 443 miles, while those taking their car abroad will typically drive 896 miles. Of those heading overseas, more than one in six, (17%) will travel more than 2,000 miles.
Kwik Fit has found that despite having these lengthy trips ahead of them, millions of drivers admit that they won’t make vital checks before getting in their cars. One in six (16%) drivers say they won’t check their tyre pressures before setting off to their destination. And although we have seen repeated extreme heatwaves in the UK and Europe already this year, almost 3 in 10 (29%) drivers won’t check their coolant.
Very surprisingly, those covering the greatest distances are among the most blasé of all. 28% of drivers covering more than 2,000 miles overseas say they won’t spend any time checking their tyre pressures before they leave. Even more of this group (32%) won’t check their tyre tread or coolant (37%).Tyres problems are the most common cause of breakdowns on motorways and main roads, and Kwik Fit highlights how critical checks are. Dan Joyce, the company’s operations director, says:
“Many cars today are not fitted with a spare wheel and so any kind of tyre problem can be seriously disruptive to holiday travel. So many of the tyre issues we see on the roads can be prevented with simple checks. Drivers should ensure that tyres are at the correct pressure – which may need to be higher than normal if the car is fully loaded – and that they have sufficient tread and are not wearing unevenly.”
Would they lie to you? It could depend on their age or where they are from
Younger drivers are more likely to have fibbed to their family than older motorists. One in five (21%) of drivers aged 18-34 admit they told their partners or family they had carried out checks when they hadn’t, compared to just 2% of drivers over 55.
Holiday drivers from London and the North West are the most likely to admit to pulling the wool over the eyes of their travelling companions (17% and 16% respectively) while only 2% of those in the South West region and Northern Ireland have claimed to make checks they haven’t carried out.
Younger drivers are also more likely to trust to luck. 19% of 18-34 year old drivers set off on a holiday journey knowing they had an issue with their car, in contrast to 3% of those over 55. Londoners are also likely to set off on a wing and prayer, with one in six (16%) having done so, compared to just 3% of drivers in the East of England.
Kwik Fit’s Dan Joyce says: “There is so much technology in new cars that there is a danger of drivers leaving all the checks and monitoring to the in-car systems. However, there is no substitute for carrying out a proper check on all the key components. Carrying out a check will give some peace of mind – not least because drivers won’t have to lie to their partners about whether they’ve done it.”
For those drivers with concerns about their vehicle, Kwik Fit offers a free vehicle safety check. Drivers can book an appointment and find a wide range of information at kwik-fit.com. For the latest news and updates from Kwik Fit, customers can also follow the company at @kwik_fit.
Note to editors
1. * Research carried out by Opinium among a nationally representative sample of 2000 UK adults – 19-23 June 2026
About Kwik Fit
Established in 1971, the Kwik Fit Group is one of the largest independent automotive parts, repair and replacement specialists in the world. Kwik Fit has over 600 service centres across the UK and more than 200 mobile tyre fitting vehicles, making it the UK’s leading tyre, exhaust, brake and MOT specialist. Details of its range of products and services can be found at kwik-fit.com
