Ahead of the clocks going back this weekend, a survey has found that many UK roads will be plunged into darkness as councils switch off street lights in an effort to save money and cut carbon emissions.
An investigation by Halfords has identified that at least eight county councils have plans to switch off or dim roadside lighting, despite concerns from some motorists.
Halfords found that two-thirds of drivers (68 per cent) opposed the switch-off, with almost half (47 per cent) expressed concerns over being able to see clearly. 41 per cent were worried about being seen by other motorists, while a quarter said they were worried about tiring more quickly as a result.
Councils claim that, following a similar switch-off last year, the number of accidents on the roads did not increase. They also claimed they only instigated the switch-off following consultations with safety authorities and local communities.
However, statistics show that while only a quarter of drivers are on the road between the hours of 7pm and 8am, 40 per cent of crashes occur between these hours. It has also been found that the highest number of accidents occurs within weeks of the clocks going back at the end of October.
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