Vapes the new danger on the roads as discarded devices damage tyres
Discarded single-use vapes can be a death-sentence for your tyres if you drive over them, according to a mobile tyre fitter
Drivers are being told to add vapes to the list of dangers lurking on the roads which can destroy their tyres and cost them hundreds of pounds in unexpected repairs.
The mobile car garage is reporting a sudden influx of single-use vapes causing irreparable damage to tyres after being driven over.
Mechanics at Mobile-Tyre-King, based in Paisley near Glasgow, say they have been called out to three of these types of punctures over the last few weeks.
The e-cigarettes can also burn through the rubber due to the lithium battery inside them.
'It completely destroys the tyre'
Owner of Mobile-Tyre-King, Matthew Fraser, said: "I started to notice more and more vapes being discarded on the roads which is leading to a major problem for drivers.
"When people are throwing these vapes out of their cars, they're not thinking of the consequences it has on other people.
"Because of the battery that's inside these vapes, they explode on impact - basically - as soon as someone drives over them.
"It completely destroys the tyre, not to mention giving the driver a fright as well.
"At first, I didn't realise what they were - they looked like something left behind from roadworks.
"I then came across two more, and they were intact causing irreparable damage to the tyre.
"You can't just put a patch or a plug on it like you would with a regular puncture, so people are spending unnecessary money on this."
A 'very easy' solution
Matthew added that it is a simple problem to fix.
He said: "Drivers should be a bit more vigilant about these - sometimes you can't even see these things on the road but if you spot the light that comes off them, try and avoid it.
"To me, it seems like there is a very easy solution because if people stopped throwing them out of their cars and disposed of them safely, there'd be no problem."
A ban on the sale and supply of single-use vapes is expected to come into force from 1 April 2025.