Our new research reveals that an incredible 96% of drivers cannot accurately identify the meaning of all their dashboard warning signs. Can you?
Not only do drivers have a problem recognising dashboard warning signs, but 43% of us actually ignore critical dashboard warning signs. Worryingly, 15% (5.5 million) people ignore them in their cars for more than a week.
But, be aware. Almost a third of drivers who ignored dashboard warnings have gone on to experience a breakdown, accident or damage to their car. Which raises one big question…
Why do people ignore dashboard warning signs?
Dashboard warnings always seem to pop up at the wrong time – like day one of a road trip, or right at the start of the commute.
It’s tempting to think “I’ll deal with it later”, but by ignoring it, you could be putting yourself or other road users at risk. It could also lead to a costly repair job further down the line.
Here are the top reasons drivers ignore dashboard warning lights:
- I didn’t think it was urgent (61%)
- I trusted my car would be fine (26%)
- Repairs were too expensive (18%)
- I didn’t have time to take my car to the garage (17%)
- I didn’t understand what the light meant (16%)
- I forgot about it (10%)
- I didn’t realise it was a warning light (5%)
Almost a quarter (23%) of drivers wouldn’t take their car to the garage after seeing a battery warning light, and 11% wouldn’t do so after their brake pad light came on.
Both of these warnings could easily result in a breakdown if not seen to, so make sure you don’t ignore them.
Lights, driver, action!
A lot of people over-estimate how well they know their warning lights.
60% felt confident they could identify the brake pad warning light, but only 22% could. Meanwhile, 77% thought they could spot the check engine light, but only 39% got that right.
Here’s how drivers fared when faced with identifying different dashboard warnings signs:
Dashboard warning lights play a critical role in safety and vehicle performance, so don’t ignore them.
As our research shows, that warning light you may not think is ‘urgent’ might actually be something pretty serious. So, always check online or look at your vehicle’s manual when a warning light appears, and get any problems sorted.