Data from the AA shows that overall, the chance of an accident in the dark on an unlit street shows no sign of falling back below the 7% it reached in 2012. Last year, the risk actually rose to 8.3% where there was rain, snow, or ice on the road.

However, it is the 40mph or faster roads in built-up areas that continue to be the growing menace.

Latest Department for Transport figures show that, in 2013, the likelihood of a night-time accident along a 40mph town and city road without street lighting grew to 21%. In wet, snow or icy conditions, the odds surged from 21.99% in 2012 to 24.33% last year.

Over the past five years, improved road safety has seen accidents in the dark on built-up roads where there is street lighting fall 18.6% overall and 24.0% in the wet, snow and ice. But, where street lights are off or not present, the reduction is 12.0% overall and 16.7% in bad weather.

The five worst councils for street lighting in this year’s National Highways and Transport Network public satisfaction survey all operate a black-out during the early hours of the morning. Essex County Council is bottom of a league of 78 councils with a score of 45.1% (Hertfordshire CC second worst with 51.7%, South Gloucestershire 56.5%, Buckinghamshire CC 58.0%, and Suffolk CC 58.7%).

Edmund King, AA president, said: ‘You have to wonder if many councils fully appreciate the difficulties and concern their street light blackouts create for their electorates, particularly those who commute or drive early in the morning. For instance, Hertfordshire County Council’s policy review found that the first and last trains of the day required travellers to walk to and from the station in the pitch black. Little wonder perhaps that counties on the outskirts of the capital, where workers have to get going very early or late to beat the rush, are seeing such a strong backlash.’