The clocks have now gone back. We have adjusted electronic devices and begun to get used to the difference. The clock change does mean you may find that you’re driving in the dark. Councils, in order to reduce emissions, will may make it even darker by turning off street and road lighting near you.
Halfords found that two thirds of drivers (68%) opposed the switch-off and almost half (47%) expressed safety concerns about being able to see clearly. A further 41% worried about being seen by other drivers or had already experienced difficulty reading road signs and almost a quarter (25%) said they tired more quickly as a result.
Auto Category Director, Dave Poulter said: “As the nights draw in, drivers will begin to notice hundreds more miles of unlit road between the hours of midnight and 5am. In order to see and be seen, it is vitally important that every motorist ensures the lights on their vehicle are working properly and we are here to help them.”
Councils claim their actions haven’t led to an increase in accidents or crime and lights have been switched-off only after consultations with safety authorities and local communities.
However, insurance industry figures show that while only a quarter of drivers are on the road between 7pm and 8am, 40 per cent of crashes occur between these hours – with the highest number of accidents occuring in the weeks following the clocks changing.
Dave Poulter added: “It’s estimated that there over 800,000 vehicles on UK roads with lights that are not up to a safe MOT standard, which means there are many motorists who could be doing far more to reduce their chances of becoming an accident statistic.”
A study by Halfords 12 months ago found that 73% of councils in England and Wales had switched-off and dimmed lights, or were planning to. Three years ago the figure was 43%. However, some local authorities have seen the light – with Nottinghamshire and the Wirral on Merseyside switching lights back on following concerns raised by the police.
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