Are you ready for a winter emergency on the roads?

Now that the clocks have gone back, darker winter mornings and evenings are set to cause inconvenience and apprehension to Britain’s drivers.

Research by smartphone satnav app CoPilot Live has found that, given the choice, half of British drivers are less likely to drive at night.

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.

More than half say they are less likely to use short cuts in the dark and prefer to stick to well-lit main roads.

Breaking down in the dark was the biggest single worry for drivers (26 per cent), followed by fears for personal safety (14 per cent on average, with nine per cent of men and 19 per cent of women expressing concern).

According to the findings, it appears that around a third of all drivers are underprepared for emergencies during the winter, as they fail to keep a shovel, torch, blanket, phone charger and warm clothes in their car.

Those aged over 35 years old are the least prepared (32 per cent), compared with just 26 per cent of those aged 18 to 24.

David Quin of CoPilot Live sat nav said: “This survey suggests that we are a nation of rather cautious drivers who prefer to avoid hitting the road at night.

“Preparing for long and short journeys during the winter is always a wise move, 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.”

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