A worrying number of British vehicle owners are putting themselves and other road users in serious danger by failing to address problems with their brakes.

According to a new survey by Kwik Fit, 15 per cent of UK motorists admit to having defective brakes and as many as 1.7 million drivers said they had gone at least a month without getting them fixed.

Men are the biggest culprits, as 24 per cent have been driving around for three months despite knowing they had a problem. Only seven per cent of women did likewise.

The research also discovered that half a million Britons are turning a blind eye to a brake warning light on their dashboard.

Unsurprisingly, cost was the biggest issue, with 26 per cent of drivers revealing they did not get their brakes repaired because they felt it was too expensive.

"We would urge anyone experiencing these warning signs to get their brake system checked as soon as possible," commented Roger Griggs, communications director at Kwik Fit.

Although poorly-maintained cars are a big cause of accidents, a recent AA survey showed that most motorists think repairing bad road surfaces is the best way to prevent collisions.