Research by the RAC Traffic Watch states that Christmas Eve will be the busiest day on the roads with 3.8m journeys planned.

Both December 23rd and Christmas Day are expected to see a similar level of traffic, totalling some 3.5m separate journeys on each given day.

However, as Christmas falls on a weekend for the first time in five years, drivers may take the opportunity to space out their journeys.

The cost of visiting family and friends has gone up by more than £6 for many car drivers since last year.

It currently costs an average of £63.44 to fill the tank of a Ford Focus or Vauxhall Astra, up over £6 on the 2015 cost.

Diesel is feeling the recent price increases only slightly less – it now costs £64.81 to fill up a family-sized car, up £5.56 on this time last year.

The news comes as the RAC warned that petrol costs could rise by up to 3p a litre after a group of the world’s largest oil producers agreed a deal to reduce overall output.

Opec, which supplies 40% of the world’s oil and whose members include Saudi Arabia, said the deal with non-members Russia, Mexico and Bahrain would result in a reduction of 558,000 barrels a day from January 1.

The organisation is concerned retailers and distributors will have no choice other than to pass on increases in oil prices to customers at the forecourt. With 2017 shaping up to be a potentially expensive time for the driver, it is important that you shop around for the best fuel prices and car insurance to ensure you are getting the best saving.