Stay vigilant on roads as spring forward can lead to more fatal crashes

Mar 11, 2022 | 5:00 AM

With Daylight Saving Time to take effect Sunday, the public is reminded to be extra vigilant behind the wheel.

A Chronobiological Evaluation of the Acute Effects of Daylight Saving Time on Traffic Accident Risk, a peer reviewed study published by Current Biology in 2020, found a six per cent increase in fatal vehicle collisions in the U.S. through the first five workdays following the clocks moving forward.

It’s also noted that the risk of a fatal collision in the Western region was up eight per cent, as people in the western edges of time zones lose up to 19 additional minutes of sleep due to the time change.

The study also found that the majority of collisions occurred in the morning hours, as people were more sleep deprived and the skies were darker. There was also a very slight increase in motor vehicle collisions in the afternoons in the week following the time change.

The study made no mention of non-fatal vehicle collisions.

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Louise Yako, program director for Road Safety At Work, told Vernon Matters that the increased fatigue due to the time change means an increased risk, and people should modify their habits.

“The first thing [people] should do is ask themselves whether they actually have to be behind the wheel, and whether there’s any way that they could postpone their trip or, if they’ve got some kind of business they need to do, wether that business could be done either over the phone or through a video conference call,” said Yako.

“I think we all got used to doing different ways of business, so for those of us who are fortunate enough to have that option, that’s probably the best thing for the first three or four days after a time change.”

Yako acknowledged that not everybody has the option to do their work from home and would have to get behind the wheel early in the week following the time change, and she urges those people be aware that they are at a higher risk, and to monitor themselves for warning signs of fatigue.

“What happens when you are fatigued, whether that’s a physical fatigue or a mental fatigue, is you have a greater tendency to take risks; you’re more likely to forget or ignore normal checks and procedures; it’s more difficult for you to absorb critical driving information, and your ability to judge distance, speed and time is less than if you were not fatigued.”

She advised that drivers should have their seats set as ergonomically correct as possible so as to be comfortable but not too comfortable, to not have the temperature set too high, and to be aware of their mental state prior to getting on the road.

Yako also advises people to avoid distractions when behind the wheel, and to drive to conditions, and reminds people that there are still some winter conditions to be aware of on the roads.

Road Safety At Work is a program funded by WorkSafeBC and managed by the Justice Institute of British Columbia with a goal of helping B.C. employers improve the safety of their employees when they drive for work.

Daylight Saving Time will come to an end on Nov. 6, 2022.

by Liam Verster

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