Motorists are more likely to trust their sat-nav in the bad weather and dark evenings of winter than during the lighter months of summer.

Two-thirds (66%) of motorists said that they trusted their sat-nav in winter while just over half (51%) put their trust in it in summer.

Mark Bower-Dyke, chairman of Be Wiser Insurance, said: 'There's a simple need for reassurance that you're heading the right way in the dark which just isn't present in daylight. It's easy to be confident in your sense of direction when you can see where you're going.'

Some respondents claimed the sat-nav was the greatest modern invention but only because it stopped arguments about directions in the car. Many said they needed to it spot turnings which were badly signed or difficult to see when dark.

Mr Bower-Dyke, added: 'We've all kicked ourselves for not spotting the turn until we've sailed past it. Even if you have been to your destination before it seems that some roads and landmarks all but disappear when the sun goes down!'