Motorists are being urged to temporarily avoid sharing their cars or carrying passengers, in a bid to stop the spread of coronavirus.

As the newly-designated pandemic continues to snowball, the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control currently reports that the number of worldwide cases is nearing 120,000, and 4,300 deaths.

Although people are wary of public transport as a high-risk location to catch the virus, car specialist AMT is warning people that cars can post just as much of a threat.

Ian Wright, general manager at AMT, said: “Even though a car is always an easy place to catch an illness from passengers, the speed with which coronavirus is spreading around the world means that it’s now crucially important to keep ourselves protected.

“It might seem drastic to refuse to share your car with others, or to avoid giving people lifts, but this is one of the temporary ways in which it must be tackled. As much as we love our cars, their interiors can be an incubator for illnesses if not kept scrupulously clean.”

Doctor Aragona Giuseppe, a GP and medical advisor at Prescription Doctor, said: “People assume a car is a safe space from contracting coronavirus because it is closed off and private. However, in some respects, a car is just as bad as any other public transport. Small, confined and, if a person enters the car who has been exposed to infection, it could be fatal.

“If you share your car with others who could well have been infected, you are not only posing a threat to yourself but may also be causing further spread of the infection. The virus particles will be easily trapped in the car and will cling on to areas such as the seat, dashboard and door handles, and will be much easier to catch through facial orifices due to the confined space.

“I would strongly suggest not sharing your car with another person who has been exposed to crowds or public transport. A few things you can do to help prevent the spread of the virus is to wear leather gloves when inside the car in case there are any germs lurking.

“It may also be a good idea to keep hand sanitiser and antibacterial wipes in the car with you so can quickly clean any areas that may be infected, as well as using the sanitiser on your hands after being in the car.”