Does Daylight Saving Time Cause Auto Accidents?

Causes of Motor Vehicle Accidents

Auto accidents happen for all sorts of reasons, but it\’s important to highlight some of the more understated causes of car crashes.

In this post, it\’s time to analyze one of those reasons in the form of daylight savings time. Is daylight savings time a major cause for auto accidents or is that a myth?

Let\’s take a look at the subject in detail and what the studies have to say.

Sharp Increase in Accidents

For the first week, there is a noticeable surge of 6.3% in auto accidents and this often correlates with the change in time. There are many reasons why the daylight savings time has such a profound impact on driving standards and it often has to do with the body\’s reaction during the first seven days. Being able to understand these reasons begins to highlight where things go wrong and why it\’s essential to drive carefully as soon as the change is made.

Sleep Deprivation

This is the most common reason as the hour ends up going forward and this has a tremendous impact on how much a person sleeps that night. This is one hour less that a person may have spent in bed. As a result, the person has to push themselves to wake up and this has a troubling impact on how they do behind the steering wheel.

Sudden Change to Lighting During Commuting Hours

Imagine a person wakes up and heads out the door at 7 AM every single day. They will get used to a certain amount of light while going from point A to point B.

However, all of a sudden, they have to drive in different conditions and this means light reflects off of different objects in unique ways. It\’s a simple change that can end up doing a tremendous amount of damage. This is why daylight savings time can end up becoming quite the hassle as drivers weigh fatigue and changing light conditions.

Lack of Awareness on the Road

Along with personal concerns with regards to sleep deprivation and/or lighting, there are also concerns about others on the road. Sometimes, a driver may be okay with daylight savings time and won\’t be affected by the changes, however, someone else may not have the same luck. If another driver is sleep deprived, it\’s important to keep your eyes open as a driver. Many don\’t do this and that is when they end up in an auto accident.

In the end, yes, there is a change in the rate of accidents at this time of the year. As a result, it\’s best to stay as vigilant as possible.

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