Motorists carrying passengers are half as likely to be involved in an accident than those driving solo, the research reveals. One in ten drivers say they have been involved in an accident when driving alone, compared to just one in twenty who were driving with a passenger.

And it is not just accidents that are reduced by driving with a passenger, it seems. Four in ten motorists (39 per cent) have lost concentration while driving, but only two in ten (22 per cent) have done so when driving with a passenger. One in five drivers have been pulled over by the police when driving alone due to the poor quality of their driving, compared to just nine per cent who have been pulled over when driving with someone else in the car.

And as drivers realise the safety benefits of sharing car journeys, they are flocking to the