Accidents Expected to Increase after Daylight Savings

This past weekend was the much hated time when we push our clocks ahead one hour for Daylight Saving Time. Besides the obvious problem of losing and hour of sleep, there can also be other significant consequences.

A recent McMaster University study called “Sleep Deficit, Fatal Accidents and the Spring Shift to Daylight Saving Time” states that traffic crashes during the Monday that follows the weekend when we turn our clocks forward could increase by as much as 17 percent compared to the normal Monday. The study also reports that most of these collisions will take place in the afternoon.

This is because even though your watch may say it’s a certain time, your body is still on the old schedule and may think it’s time to slow down and relax. This change to your circadian rhythm is sufficient to slow your reflexes and decision-making ability just when you need them at their most efficient: while driving.

Fatigue is a form of impairment. Both your reflexes and your ability to make sound and safe judgments about your driving environment are compromised. In consequence, most fatigue-related crashes happen between the hours of 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. and again between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Here are a few signs of driving under the influence of fatigue:

• Yawning often
• Inability to keep your eyes focused and your head up
• Wandering, disconnected thoughts
• Driving the past few kilometers without remembering them, which is also known as “road amnesia.”
• Drifting between lanes, tailgating or missing traffic signs

If you experience these symptoms, pull over at a safe location and have a rest, or at least take walk around the vehicle to get your heart rate up and your blood oxygenated once more.