The dashboard light almost a THIRD of drivers are ignoring – and it’s putting themselves and other road users at risk

CLOSE to a third of drivers will ignore when their car’s check engine light comes on, and may wait up to two weeks before having their vehicle looked at by a mechanic, a recent survey has found.

A study of drivers from around the UK showed a concerning lack of care when it came to maintaining their vehicle, as a number continued to drive their car despite it showing signs of a potential fault.

The study, conducted by online car repair marketplace , found that as many as 29 per cent of drivers will not act immediately when their check engine light comes on, putting themselves and other road users at risk.

Ignoring a check engine light can significantly reduce the safety of a vehicle, and could lead to further damage to the car if the problem is not immediately resolved.

Up to 23 per cent of drivers said they would as long as two weeks before having their car inspected, while a worrying four per cent said they would completely ignore the light until it began to affect the performance of their vehicle.

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Research showed that younger drivers were more likely to ignore an engine issue, with only 62 per cent of drivers in the 18-54 age group acting on the notification immediately, compared to 83 per cent in the over 55 demographic.

Also basing their results on location, ClickMechanic found Cardiff, Sheffield and Leeds to take the equal top spot for having the highest percentage of drivers which will immediately address an engine light, with 77 per cent.

In comparison, Norwich ranks as the worst with only 59 per cent of drivers taking prompt action.

Belfast, on the other hand, has the highest percentage of drivers ignoring the light completely with a total of 10 per cent of motorists admitting to doing so.

Andrew Jervis, Co-Founder of ClickMechanic, said: “The check engine light is designed to alert the driver to what could be a serious problem with the engine and, as such, it should always be dealt with immediately.

“The longer the driver waits to investigate, the more likely the problem will affect the car itself.

“Whilst this survey indicates that most drivers are aware of this, 1 in 3 will still wait to deal with the issue; even if it is a week later, this will potentially affect everyone’s safety on the road and could substantially increase the cost to repair.”