First Monday back at work could see wave of breakdowns, warns AA

The first working day of the year (Monday 5th January 2026) is expected to be one of the worst days for vehicle breakdowns, with flat batteries and tyre issues predicted to dominate call-outs, according to the AA.

More than 22 million journeys are expected to take place across the UK on the day, as commuters return to work and combine school runs with daily travel.

The AA said a surge in breakdowns is likely, as many drivers return to cars that have been left unused over the festive period.

Last year, the first working Monday of the year saw a 27% increase in breakdown requests compared with a typical Monday later in the winter.

Vehicles left idle for extended periods are particularly prone to starting problems, with older or weaker 12-volt batteries slowly draining over time.

On an average day, around one in five breakdowns attended by the AA are due to vehicles not starting. On the first day back at work, the organisation expects that figure to rise to around one in three.

Tyre-related breakdowns are also expected to feature heavily. Between Boxing Day 2024 and 6th January 2025, AA patrols attended more than 14,000 tyre-related incidents.

Many of these, the AA said, could have been avoided with basic checks before returning to the road.