Why you need to start your car today to avoid a January 2 nightmare

Drivers are being warned to turn on their engines this week to avoid a back to work crisis on Thursday.

As millions prepare to to head back to the office on January 2, experts are advising them to test out their vehicles ahead of what's been dubbed "Flat Battery Thursday".

This is the day of the year when cars are most likely to break down, after being out of use over the Christmas spell.

In fact, motoring organisations are expecting a record number of emergency call outs on what will be the first day of work for many.

According to Halfords, 30% of motorists have never had their battery checked, while 53% haven't checked theirs in the past five months, despite the recommendation of quarterly check-ups.

It means that many could face a less than satisfactory start to 2020.

The report found 42% of motorists would not know what to do if their car battery died.

With modern cars, a simple jump-start, if it is mishandled, can 'fry' the battery’s control unit and render the car useless.

A further 11% of motorists don't know where their car's battery is located.

Laura Walsh at Halfords, said: "If your battery takes more attempts than usual to start the car, appears sluggish or the warning light on your dashboard are illuminated, it could be a sign of imminent failure.

"Using your car’s heater, lights and devices like sat-navs places greater demand on your battery. This combined with leaving your car standing idle in sub-zero temperatures could result in a less than positive start to 2020. It’s worth giving your car a quick health check this weekend or taking to a Halfords where we will do it for you for free."

How to avoid a flat battery nightmare

A common reason for a dead car battery is that it's been drained by the lights being left on, without the engine running (Getty)

Visually checking your battery every time you lift the bonnet can be a good way of knowing if it's corroding or damaged.

You can also avoid a flat battery by regularly taking long journeys, as this will give it a chance to sufficiently charge.

Another important measure to help conserve your battery is switching off any technology that isn't in use, such as the heater, radio and lights when they're not needed.

However if you find yourself in a situation where you battery is completely flat, you may be able to charge it using a  car battery charger  that plugs into the mains.

If that fails, your next option is to try a jump start. You'll need a set of jump leads and a 'donor' car to do this.

We've got a step-by-step guide on how to replace a car battery, here.