FLAT BATTERY MONDAY: RAC expecting busy day for breakdowns as workers return to their cars
Today is anticipated to become one of the busiest days for car breakdowns in 2025, according to the RAC.
After weeks of festive celebrations, the first working day of the year often marks a challenging return to routine for commuters – and their cars.
Flat batteries are the most common cause of call-outs for RAC patrols, and the problem intensifies during the winter months. This year, the extended Christmas break, with New Year’s Eve falling on a Tuesday, means many vehicles may sit idle for even longer than usual. For thousands of drivers, a flat battery could result in a frustrating and avoidable start to the working year.
Colder temperatures place a greater strain on vehicle batteries. Essential functions such as heaters, lights, and heated windscreens draw additional power, making batteries work harder than usual. Vehicles left unused for extended periods are particularly vulnerable, as their batteries gradually lose charge.
This risk is amplified in households with multiple cars. Families often rely on one primary vehicle during the festive season, leaving secondary cars parked and unused for days, if not weeks. When it’s finally time to fire them up, they often fail to start.
Electric vehicles, while modern and efficient, are not immune to this issue. Most still depend on a smaller 12-volt battery for initial operation, which can also lose charge if left idle for too long.
To avoid the disruption of a non-starting vehicle, the RAC urged motorists to take simple yet effective steps now. For households with more than one vehicle, it’s essential to rotate usage to prevent the secondary car’s battery from going flat. A short drive or even starting the engine for a few minutes can make a significant difference.
Drivers of electric vehicles are also encouraged to check the status of their 12-volt batteries, as these can run flat just as easily as those in petrol or diesel cars.
Alice Simpson, an RAC Breakdown spokesperson, said: “The first working day after Christmas is typically the busiest of the year for our patrols attending drivers suffering the ‘flat battery blues’. The first day back at work after the Christmas the break is often bad enough, but it can be thoroughly depressing if nothing happens when you go to start the ignition. Cars left unused over the holidays, such as second vehicles left parked up, are often a breakdown statistic waiting to happen.
“Colder weather slows down the chemical reaction in vehicle batteries, plus they have to work harder in the winter months due to greater use of the heater, lights, heated screens and seats as well as windscreen wipers. The starter motor also has to work harder to turn over the engine in the cold, so if your car is particularly slow to start then the battery could be about to fail.
“Drivers in any doubt about the health of their battery – especially those that are older and weaker – can book a diagnostic test on their doorstep. Rather than trying to find a garage that is open during the holiday period, drivers can book an RAC Mobile Mechanic to test their battery at home or work, and even install a new one in the worst-case scenario.”
