Daylight savings time ends in early November, which means people throughout the country have to turn their clocks back an hour. Although many people view this as a good thing because they get an extra hour of sleep, the time change is detrimental to driving. When daylight savings time occurs, the roads look lighter in the morning and darker at night. These changes end up leading to an increase in car accidents.
Time Changes Make Driving Riskier
Although it’s only an hour time difference during the adjustment period of daylight savings time, more car accidents occur, whether the clock is going back or forward. Generally, researchers believe more accidents happen during this time because people feel tired for a few days after the time change, while their bodies are adjusting to it. Researchers say that most individuals are negatively affected when their sleep cycles are disrupted.
Surprisingly, researchers also believe that when people gain an extra hour when putting the clock back, that still disrupts sleep. Most people require around a week to adjust. During that time, it’s essential for people to be more careful while driving.
Daylight Savings Makes it Harder to Avoid Nighttime Driving
When the clocks are set back an hour, we lose an hour of daylight in the evening. That means more people have no choice but to commute home after dark. Night driving is more of a challenge because of visual factors like color recognition, depth perception, peripheral vision, and general visibility. Additionally, the glare from headlights on the road can cause problems.
As people age, their night vision deteriorates. According to studies, a 50-year-old requires double the amount of light to be able to see as well as a 30-year-old driver. People 60 and older have even more difficulty seeing and are more likely to suffer from cataracts and other eye diseases.
It’s essential for all drivers to take extra precautions during this time of year. That means reducing their speed, cleaning their windshield, checking their headlights and more.
What to Do After an Accident
Although there are things people can do to stay safer on the road after daylight savings changes, some accidents are impossible to avoid. A person who gets injured in a car accident caused by a negligent driver should speak with an attorney. A seasoned personal injury lawyer can help you recover compensation for medical expenses, vehicle damage, pain and suffering, lost wages, and much more.
Having a personal injury lawyer is in your best interests as insurance companies prefer to lowball injured claimants. With the help of a Fort Lauderdale car accident attorney at Salpeter Gitkin,LLP you have a better chance of receiving compensation that’s more than fair. Contact us today at 954-467-8622 for a free case evaluation.
