Ahead of the clocks changing this weekend an investigation by Halfords has identified that, following a big switch-off in 2012, at least eight county councils have further plans to switch off or dim roadside lighting despite concerns from motorists.

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.’

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% of crashes occur between these hours – with the highest number of accidents occuring in the weeks following the clocks changing.

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.