Commuters are being warned not to offer lifts or to take part in car shares to stop the spread of coronavirus.
As the lockdown is eased in the UK and across the world new guidelines have been announced by the Centres for Disease Control (CDC).
As people return to work many are choosing to drive there rather than turn to public transport due to the lack of social distancing.
But CDC is advising people that should they decide to drive they should do so alone to reduce the risk of Covid-19 spreading.
CDC is also urging companies to provide employees with incentives and benefits so they will be encouraged to drive to work alone.
Guidelines from the UK Government dated on May 28 say people should find another way of getting to work if they usually share a car with someone else.
It says: “If you normally share a vehicle with people from other households for essential journeys, we recommend you find a different way to travel. For example, consider walking, cycling or using your own vehicle if you can.
“If you have to travel with people outside your household group, try to share the transport with the same people each time and keep to small groups of people at any one time”.
The guidance also warns drivers that there may be an increase of walkers and cyclists on the roads and also advises that commuters spend less time at petrol stations and garages.
If someone is left with no choice but to share a car with someone from a different household they are advised to avoid touching surfaces and to keep the vehicle ventilated.
The guidelines state: “If people from different households use a vehicle (for example through a car share scheme), you should clean it between journeys using gloves and standard cleaning products.
"Make sure you clean door handles, steering wheel and other areas that people may touch.
“Where people from different households need to use a vehicle at the same time, good ventilation (keeping the car windows open) and facing away from each other may help to reduce the risk of transmission.
“Where possible, consider seating arrangements to optimise distance between people in the vehicle”.
It also reminds people to sanitise or wash their hands for at least 20 seconds when their car journey is over.
Traffic in the US, Europe and China has surged since restrictions were lifted resulting in the CDC 's advice being slammed over fears it will increase emissions.
Professor Lawrence Frank, from the University of British Columbia's urban planning and public health, said “promoting private vehicle use as a public health strategy is like prescribing sugar to reduce tooth decay”.
