Daylight Savings Time May Increase Risk of Car Accidents

 Posted on March 14, 2019 in Car Accidents

Daylight savings time is a practice put in place in the United States in 1918 and has long since been a topic of heated discussion and debate. Advocates say having an extra hour of daylight in the evenings during the spring will help people be more active and will keep the roads safer because it is lighter longer. Detractors say it decreases productivity and can make people sick. Regardless of which side you are on, daylight savings time is a part of most people’s lives in the United States. However, there is evidence that daylight savings time is actually hazardous to the general public, due to an increased risk of car accidents following the clock change in the spring.

How Does Daylight Savings Increase Car Accident Risk?

A study in 2014 at the University of Colorado Boulder examined data regarding the prevalence of car accidents in the time period six days immediately following the change in clocks every spring. The results of that study found an increase of 6.3 percent during the six days after we change our clocks. The data was collected over a 10 year period. The reason for this increase in fatalities is because our bodies have a natural clock, known as the circadian rhythm. When the sudden shift in time occurs, it throws our natural clock off temporarily, and our bodies take time to readjust because of the sleep deprivation. This data is also corroborated by a study from Manitoba Public Insurance, an insurance agency in Canada. They found there was a 20% increase in car accidents the day after daylight savings time began compared to the other Mondays of 2014.

How Can This Be Prevented?

If you are worried about your drowsiness affecting your ability to drive a motor vehicle, you should take steps to lessen the likelihood of sleep deprivation. Making sure to go to bed early when you know the clocks will change, staying well-rested, and keeping an eye out for those drivers who were not as prepared as you were will help you stay accident-free after the time change.

Contact a Wheaton Personal Injury Lawyer

Automobiles are safer now than they have ever been, but accidents do still happen. If you have been injured in an automobile collision and would like to pursue compensation, you will need a passionate and caring DuPage County automobile accident attorney. The helpful and friendly lawyers at The Law Offices of David W. Clark, P.C. have the experience needed to help you with your personal injury case. If you would like to set up a free initial consultation, please contact us at 630-665-5678.

Sources:

https://www.livescience.com/11069-started-daylight-saving-time.html

https://www.businessinsider.com/daylight-saving-time-is-deadly-2018-3

https://www.timeanddate.com/time/dst/daylight-saving-debate.html

https://www.aeaweb.org/articles?_sp=11e20bc5-09d7-4a70-bfc2-f314bb5751e5.1538756728178&id=10.1257/app.20140100