Daylight savings is happening November 4th, and although you may think setting back the clocks doesn’t really affect your schedule, police say that November is actually one of the worst months for collisions during the year. The increased accident rate could be caused by the time change, and the disruption of sleep schedules that come along with it. To maintain your road safety, follow these five steps during daylight savings time:
1. Pay Attention To Your Fatigue Levels Before Driving
Didn’t get a good night’s sleep or feeling a little under the weather? Pay attention to your fatigue throughout the day. Daylight savings time could make you more vulnerable to falling asleep on the road, so take the necessary precautions to avoid accidentally falling asleep behind the wheel.
- Prepare Your Vehicle For Darker Driving Conditions
Make sure that your headlights, tail lights, brake lights, and signal lights are in working condition so that you can see properly while driving at night. Give your windshield wipers a test drive and check to make sure your in-vehicle lights are working properly.
- Be Aware of Other Drivers
Remember that everyone is dealing with the after-effects of daylight savings time, so you’ll want to be extra careful on the road. Keep a safe distance between you and other drivers just in case, and be hyper-aware when switching lanes.
- Be Conscientious of Pedestrians While Driving
According to the OSG: “If increased motor vehicle accidents are the result of putting the clock ahead in the spring, then we must be safe in the fall when we put the clocks back, right? Wrong. When clocks go back in the fall, pedestrians are more than three times as likely to be struck and killed in the hours after 6 pm. Why? Because drivers are fatigued and their focus is diminished, putting pedestrians at increased risk.”
- Get Some Extra Sleep
If you know that daylight savings can make it more difficult for you to sleep, anticipate the lost hours and plan on going to bed a little bit earlier if you have a long day of driving ahead. Falling asleep at the wheel is one of Canada’s leading causes of fatal accidents. Falling asleep or closing your eyes for even one second can result in severe collisions, especially when driving in high speed areas like the highway.
Daylight savings can mess up your sleep schedule and throw your whole day off, so being vigilant about how the earlier hour disrupts your schedule is crucial when you’re trying to stay safe on the road. Mind your fatigue levels, and make sure you are adequately covered in the event of a collision. If your policy isn’t covering you the way you want it to, compare car insurance quotes with other leading providers on the market.