New figures published by the DVSA has revealed that up to 100,000 potential new drivers are taking their practical test each year without have taken any lessons in the dark.

Almost one in five young drivers have confessed that they had had no experience driving in the dark before taking their driving test and the same number said they had driven for no more than two hours in the dark before taking their test.

With more than a third of crashes involving young drivers taking place in the evening and the DVSA is urging driving instructors to give lessons in the difference circumstances of driving in the dark. As well as the difficulty of spotting danger in the dark, there are also more practical issues of when and where you can use full beam headlights and what are the options for fog lights.

Mark Winn, chief driving examiner at the DVSA, said: "DVSA’s priority is to help everyone through a lifetime of safe driving.

"It’s essential that all learners gain experience of driving in the dark, whether with their driving instructor or through private practice.

"Spotting hazards in reduced visibility is a skill built on experience. The more time a learner spends practising in different conditions, the better prepared they will be for driving safely on their own."

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