Drivers have been warned as cars that were left idle during the festive season could refuse to start.
Many people will be returning to work this morning after a long Christmas and New Year break. Transport expert Conor Faughnan said that today will be one of the busiest days of the year for car breakdowns.
He said: "Roads this morning are likely to be busy - we'll see the start of a commuter pattern which we haven't had for the last couple of weeks. The other thing that will catch a lot of drivers out this morning [is] there's a lot of cars that are parked up and haven't moved for a week or so."
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Faughnan said it would be "unsurprising" if motorists encounter flat batteries this morning. He said that if a car is going to be idle for a period, it would be worth starting it and taking it for a short run halfway through the break.
He told Breakfast Briefing on Newstalk: "That's particularly true in the middle of winter when it's bitterly cold because actually there's a greater demand on car electrics in cold weather - it takes more power to start a car. First day back, post-Christmas, is statistically the day when it's most likely to catch you out."
Faughnan told drivers to be "very careful" of vulnerable road users like people on e-scooters, bicycles, and pedestrians during darker mornings. He also told cyclists and e-bike users to make sure they are "properly illuminated and don't take risks".
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