According to a report by the RACE automobile club, mechanical failures on the road increased by 9% in 2015, and assistance following crashes or other incidents increased by 11.2%, compared to the previous year.
The data was collated from information gathered whilst attending 600,000 roadside assistance cases in 2015, with the most common problems being batteries and tyres.
There were 122,935 battery related call-outs in 2015, although this did drop by 0.4%. IN second place was tyre related incidents with 56,624 call-outs, an increase of 11.1%. The company was called out to 29,914 crashes or similar incidents, an increase of 7.2%. There were 27,266 engine faults, up 7.2%, but these did not take into account the 28,389 alternator problems which increased by a staggering 58.3% over 2014.
There was particular concern pointed towards the condition of tyres, which can seriously affect the safety of the vehicle, made worse by weather conditions. In 11% of all faults recorded in tyre call-outs, replacement was necessary. In 17.9% of all cases, the spare wheel was not usable for one reason or another.
Regular checks on key areas of the vehicle, including tyres, is crucial to road safety. Simple checks on tread depth, pressure and signs of damage or wear can make the difference between life or death.
You can read more about tyre pressure by clicking this link. If you want to know more about Spanish tyre law, click here.