Five 'very important' car checks that you should be doing before driving this Christmas have been revealed by the AA.

The insurance company has urged drivers to follow five steps before travelling over the festive period this year.

The advice follows an 'amber travel warning' issued by the AA for the two days preceding December 25.

Edmund King, AA president, said: “While December 23 and Christmas Eve look set to be the busiest travelling days, planned industrial action by rail staff may lead to increased levels of cars on our roads.

News and Star: UK drivers issued an amber travel warning by AA for the two days before Christmas ( PA)UK drivers issued an amber travel warning by AA for the two days before Christmas ( PA) (Image: Canva)

“Our expert patrols will be working throughout the holidays to help fix cars that suffer problems, while providing assistance to drivers should they be involved in a crash.

“Many breakdowns are preventable, so checking your vehicle before you set off is very important.”

5 car checks to complete before driving this Christmas

The AA president urged motorists to do the following checks before hitting the road this Christmas:

  • Examine fuel levels
  • Check oil
  • Pack coolant
  • Look at screenwash levels
  • Ensure tyres are correctly inflated

The advice comes as the RAC predicts that 20 million getaway journeys will be made to see friends and family in the run-up to Christmas.

Based on RAC's survey of 1,886 UK adults last week, the automotive services company expects Christmas traffic to steadily build from Monday and peak on December 23 and Christmas Eve. 

Although, a busy time of year already, pressure on UK roads has been exacerbated by the rail strikes from Rail, Maritime and Transport union members at Network Rail. 

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Train passengers have been urged to travel as early as lunchtime on Christmas Eve to avoid disruption with the strike due to be held from 6 pm.

Journey times are expected to be around 14% longer compared with the same period last year, according to transport analytics company Inrix. 

In response, National Highways has said that it will ensure almost 98% of England’s motorways and major A-roads are fully open from 6 am on Tuesday, December 20 until the end of January 2.

This will be done by either completing or lifting roadworks.