With the clocks having changed and Halloween now over, it really feels as though we are heading into winter. For many of us, this means driving to and from work in darkness. A recent study https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/10/28/street-lighting-england-councils-save-money_n_2033804.html?just_reloaded=1 by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents found more than 3,000 miles of motorways and trunk roads are in darkness during the evening and twice as many crashes on motorways are fatal where there are no street lights. The survey also found that 70 per cent of the motorway network is now unlit at night, saving the Highways Agency some £400,000 last year and reducing carbon emissions.
The reasons behind organisations reducing lighting include environmental factors as well as economic factors, on the other hand safety should also be an important consideration. Our own research has found that we are a nation of rather cautious drivers, with over half of British drivers avoiding roads in the dark. Based on the results of the YouGov survey, driving safely in the dark is a concern for most drivers, with 58 per cent of respondents feeling least safe on rural roads at night. Over half (55 per cent) say they are less likely to use short cuts in the dark and prefer to stick to well-lit main roads.
For many of us it's not just the rural country roads that are a concern; breaking down in the dark was the biggest single worry for drivers (26 per cent). Although people are concerned, it seems that many (31 per cent) are still not prepared for emergencies in winter, as they fail to keep a shovel, torch, blanket, phone charger and warm clothes in their car. Considering the likelihood of snow these days, drivers should be more cautious. Interestingly, it seems that the youngest drivers are the best prepared, with three-quarters carrying essentials in their cars.
With long range weather forecasts http://www.netweather.tv/index.cgi?action=longrange;sess= predicting we're in for a colder and wetter winter than average, especially in the south, it is important that we all prepare for long and short journeys, whether planning your route before you set-off, packing essential equipment in case you break down and, of course, programming a quality, non-distracting sat nav to avoid losing your bearings in the dark.