AAA study: End of daylight saving time causes increase in car accidents

Daylight saving time ending could pose an extra danger for drivers, according to a study by AAA.

News 12 Staff

Nov 2, 2019, 2:24 AM

Updated 1,634 days ago

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Daylight saving time ending could pose an extra danger for drivers, according to a study by AAA.

The study found that when darkness comes earlier in the day, motor vehicle and pedestrian crashes spike.

"Very simply -- it's harder to see at night than it is in the daytime," said Robert Sinclair of AAA. "And it's a very rapid shift where we go from having daylight when we're driving home in 5 p.m. rush hour to complete darkness."

Representatives from AAA says concentration and decision-making can also be affected by time changes.

Residents in Long Island tell News 12 that they do not like the changes and challenges that daylight saving time poses.

"I don't think it works for us anymore," says Phyllis Montuori of Plainview. "I'm a teacher -- I don't want to get up and go to work in the dark."

A new poll found that seven in 10 Americans prefer not to switch back and forth to mark daylight saving time.

To avoid accidents, AAA has several tips for drivers.

They say to follow at safe driving distances to have time to react and to adjust speeds to compensate for low-light conditions. The agency also tells drivers to approach crosswalks and intersections with care and to check for cyclists and pedestrians before turning.
 
 
 
 


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