Now that the clocks have gone back an hour and the nights are set to get darker, road users are being urged to ensure they are safe and visible when using the roads.
The Safer Roads Partnership in Warwickshire and West Mercia is encouraging drivers, pedestrians and cyclists to prioritise safety as the colder months set in, ensuring they look out for each other.
Motorists should undertake basic checks to prepare their vehicles for winter, checking tyre tread, brakes, water, oil and antifreeze levels, as well as ensuring lights are in good working order, the partnership suggests.
Cyclists and pedestrians, meanwhile, are encouraged to think about how to be better seen when out and about - wearing high visibility clothing and reflective materials can be helpful. Cyclists should also ensure they have working front and rear lights for their bikes.
Anna Higgins, from Warwickshire and West Mercia’s Safer Roads Partnership, said that the number of road casualties recorded rise on a national level when the nights draw in and the weather worsens. She encouraged all road users to reassess their journeys with regards to the darker evenings.
“We are advising all motorists to check their vehicles and for pedestrians and cyclists to ensure they are visible to other road users,” Ms Higgins added.
Earlier this month car insurance company Marmalade revealed that almost 75,000 more accidents take place in darkness than in daylight - 273,205 accidents took place in the dark last year, compared with 198,913 in daylight.
The company attributed the rise to factors like difficulty in judging speed and distance in the dark, along with poor car maintenance.