Nearly a fifth (17%) of AA members don’t have a spare wheel in their car, wit the “universal” spare wheel offering a temporary solution in the event of a puncture so that drivers can continue their journey or drive to a local tyre depot.

The wheel is designed to fit the majority of modern cars with a five-stud wheel and uses a 17-inch alloy with a system of special adaptors of 10 different sizes to find the best fit. The car is then subject to a 50mph maximum speed limit.

The AA says that punctures and other tyre-related issues are its second most common reason for call-outs – after batteries – averaging 35,000 a month or more than one in 10 breakdowns.

Donald MacSporran, the AA’s head of technical, said: ‘Although punctures are thankfully rare for most drivers, you can’t beat the convenience of a spare wheel.

‘If your car doesn’t have one, we can sometimes perform a temporary repair at the roadside or take the damaged wheel to a local tyre fitter but this can take time. The “universal” spare offers a more convenient alternative by allowing you to drive to a local tyre depot yourself or continue your journey with the minimum of fuss.

‘The patrol will reclaim the spare from the tyre depot or it gets couriered back to us after you’ve finished with it.’