but they are also leaving an increasing number of drivers in the lurch.

Up to now, electrical accessories have been blamed for driver distraction but now road recovery agencies have discovered that they are draining batteries and leaving motorists stranded.

More than half the callouts the RAC received in the UK last year were for flat batteries.

As sales of the plug-in accessories grow the number of calls for help increases as thousands of batteries fail permaturely due to excessive power drain.

One solution is to upgrade your battery to accommodate the extra equipment. Those with doubts should contact their car dealers or the manufacturer for the best advice.