Thousands of cars on Irish roads are only cleaned out once a year or less, creating unhygienic and dangerous driving conditions. And now new research from the AA has drawn attention to the dangers of these 'clutter cans' and encourage motorists to get cleaning.

The AA research carried out in the UK shows that whilst 54 per cent of people clean their homes on a weekly basis, nearly half or 46 per cent confess they only de-clutter their car's interior once every six months, unaware that seemingly harmless in-car litter can put motorists and passengers at unnecessary risk, including:

Bottles rolling under pedals impeding braking, acceleration and gear changes
Dirty windows obscuring vision
Discarded toys transforming into dangerous missiles when travelling at speed

Car drivers should carry out a complete a regular 'muck-free NCT on their vehicles in order to store and secure loose items and remove surplus clutter on a regular basis.

The UK research also showed that non-essential items are taking precedence over key car maintenance tools. Worryingly, CD cases and umbrellas were more likely to be stored in-car than vital items such as jump leads or a torch - leaving drivers potentially vulnerable in a breakdown situation.

The research found that younger drivers (aged 17-24), who are the least prepared for an emergency, with a change of clothes, CDs, work documents, food, drink and magazines all taking precedence over essential maintenance items.

Key 'clutter criminal's include food wrappers, old parking tickets and discarded work documents, whilst one in ten parents even keep a playschool's worth of children's toys on the back seat without thinking of the damage a flying building block could do should they have to brake suddenly.

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