Motorists should be EXTRA careful when driving today.

Friday afternoon is the most common time for a car accident.

A combination of people rushing home for the weekend, road congestion and poor weather conditions makes this journey more hazardous than others.

According to a government report, in 2005, there were 2,454 accidents on UK roads between 4-5pm - 35 per cent more than between 8-9am.

Continental Tyres has responded to the report by advising motorists to take extra care in the winter.

Spokeswoman Tracy Hyem, said: “Driving in winter provides different challenges for motorists and even if there isn’t snow and ice on the roads, drivers still need to think about driving carefully.”