Grant Denyer urges car safety as Australians gear up for road trips

Australians are set to hit the roads in droves over the summer, and many have indicated they’re willing to forgo one crucial thing.

Grant Denyer knows the importance of car safety; in fact, he was once so focused on ensuring his car was road-trip ready that he left his youngest child Scout at home.

Denyer and his wife Chezzi told News Corp on one occasion they realised they had forgotten some “precious cargo” as they hit the road.

“We had everything in boot and were ready for the holiday of a lifetime, and then we took off down the road and realised we’d left the baby in the house,” he said.

Chezzi explained: “Grant was so focused on checking the tyre pressure and the windscreen wipers, and carrying out a safety check. Meanwhile, I was tied up getting the snacks together, and poor little Scout got left behind.”

Grant and Chezzi Denyer have released two audio guides for Australians who will hit the road this summer. Picture: Supplied

The race driver and Logie Award winner has now called on Australians to put their family’s safety first by ensuring their car is roadworthy before the Christmas holidays.

New research from mycar has revealed that more than 60 per cent of travellers are ignoring a basic pre-road trip inspection even when they know something is wrong with their vehicle.

They even prioritised snacks and deciding their seating arrangements ahead of carrying out a basic routine car safety check.

“The fact that so many people are prepared to not check their car before a road trip is astonishing,” Grant said.

“It puts the safety of your family at risk.

“I’m a motoring champion, so I know the importance of good maintenance; it can make or break your trip.”

More than 80 per cent of Australians surveyed said they would be taking road trips over the next three to six months.

But four in 10 confessed they did not know how to check the battery; more than one in three couldn’t change a tyre; a quarter couldn’t check the oil and a similar number could not check the tread on their tyres.

A quarter of respondents in the mycar survey did not know how to check their car’s oil. Picture: iStock

Mycar Managing Director, Adam Pay, said the risk of not inspecting a vehicle’s vitals could leave holidaymakers open to upset.

“Avoiding basic pre-road trip inspections can interrupt what could have been a smooth drive,” he said.

“For many of us, our cars are used for short journeys, so it is important Australians get their cars checked before departing on a longer than normal drive.

“Common problems people run into is driving with tyres that are either worn, or not in great condition, low on engine oil, or lights that are inoperative, all of which could cause issues along the way.”

The data also revealed what habits drove Australians mad while driving.

Forty per cent of respondents said back seat singalongs irked them the most, followed by passengers constantly asking “are we there yet?” (33 per cent), car sickness (32 per cent), and roadside bathroom stops (27 per cent).

Many also said a lack of entertainment made them agitated, and Grant and Chezzi believe they have a solution to the problem.

The pair have released two audio guides: Road Trip Ready for Friends and Road Trip Ready for Families.

“We’ve both travelled the length of Australia as a couple and more recently with our two girls, which is why we know too well the stresses of road trips,” Chezzi said.

“Our audio guides will take you on a journey of our own driving experiences, from the messy to the comical.”

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Originally published as Grant Denyer urges car safety as Australians gear up for road trips