ONE in five people who a buy second-hand car fail to carry out checks on it and are at risk of losing large sums of money.

People who buy a used car but do not check it out are also putting their lives in danger, according to the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC).

The State consumer protection body commissioned a survey which shows that almost a quarter of consumers bought from a private seller in the last five years.

Buying privately means consumer protection law does not apply.

Women are less likely than men to check crash or serious damage history before buying.

The survey, carried out by Ipsos MRBI, found that 45pc of buyers reported checking if the vehicle had been previously crashed or seriously damaged before purchasing.

But 20pc admitted they did not carry out any checks before buying.

CCPC said that every year it receives more than 1,000 calls from consumers reporting issues with used cars, including those who have unknowingly bought crashed or clocked cars.

Consumers were warned to think twice before buying a used car without carrying out essential checks.

More than half of consumers who bought used cars over the past five years, bought from a car dealership.

Another 21pc bought from a motor garage.

However, almost a quarter bought from a private seller, with a further 5pc buying directly from a family member or friend.

The CCPC said there is a big difference between buying from a business and purchasing from an individual.

If you buy from a private seller then they do not have rights under consumer protection law, if something were to go wrong.

When compared to a similar study carried out by the CCPC in 2016, the percentage of consumers who had a mechanic check their car before buying has fallen from almost half in 2016 to a third this year.

And there has been an increase in the number of consumers who bought a used car without carrying our any checks at all.

Director of communications with the CCPC Grainne Griffin said buying a car is one of the most important purchases a consumer can make.

“Not only is it a substantial financial investment, but buying an unsafe car can have tragic consequences.”

She said that since March, the CCPC has seen an increase in the number of consumers making contact because they have unknowingly purchased a crashed car.

“The Irish used car market has been significantly impacted in recent months by both Covid-19 and Brexit. Consumers in some cases are taking increased risks by buying cars from private, or less reputable sellers without checking the car history,” she said.

Ms Griffin said Brexit has had an impact on the cost of used cars and consumers may be tempted to cut corners to get a lower price.

She said the CCPC is strongly advising consumers to use our car buyer’s checklist if they are buying a used car and always independently check the vehicle history.

The CCPC car history checklist is on its ccpc.ie website to help consumers through the process of buying a used car as safely as possible.