Thousands of UK drivers are driving un-roadworthy cars because they are unable to afford the necessary repairs, according to a new survey by Car Loan 4U.

Cracked windscreens, unsafe brakes and worn tyres were among the issues faced by many drivers.

Other problems that are not being addressed include damaged brake lights, broken seat belts and absent wing mirrors.

A lack of trust in mechanics and being too busy were in the top three reasons why repairs were not undertaken. However, the top reason was that motorists simply could not afford repair bills.

The research also revealed that approximately 25 per cent of respondents recognised the need to change their car, but did not have the requisite funds to do so.

An astonishing 14 per cent of respondents said they did not feel safe behind the wheel of their own vehicle, while 17 per cent said that long car journeys worried them.

1 in 10 of those surveyed said that an un-remedied issue with their car had led to an accident or a near-miss.

“When something starts to go wrong with your car, it can be daunting if you don’t really have the money to fix it," said James Wilkinson, CEO of Car Loan 4U.

“But it’s worrying to see so many are putting off fixing or replacing their car and driving around in something which might not be safe enough to be on the road."

Extrapolation of the results from the 2,000 respondents suggests that around 5.1 million UK cars have bald tyres, 2.9 million have damaged or absent wing mirrors, and 2.8 million have a damaged headlight.

The research also suggested that there could be around 2.4 million damaged windscreens and more than two million cars with with faulty brakes.

Battery problems, damaged exhausts, ignition faults and oil leaks were among the other issues faced by drivers.

Such problems can mean people breakdown more frequently, relying on their annual breakdown cover providers for help. But failure to address mechanical problems early can lead to bigger repair bills in the end – and more worryingly, make driving especially hazardous.