Next week (March 13, 2016) marks the beginning of Daylight Savings Time, as we move our clocks ahead one hour. This also means one less hour of sleep for most of us Saturday night. But did you know it could also mean more accidents for you on the road?
Some studies have shown that any disruption in sleep cycle (like changing the clocks ahead or back an hour) impacts alertness and feelings of tiredness. This means it can increase the prevalence or the danger of automobile accidents because people are not as aware or alert when they’re on the road.
Changing the time that the sun rises and falls by a whole hour when we change the clocks confuses our bodies, whether we are gaining or losing an hour, because the body’s natural sleep pattern and circadian rhythm is to be awake during daylight and asleep when it’s dark. Simply going from 10:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. in one night throws the body for a loop.
Help combat the effects with these easy steps:
As always, you want to be aware and alert behind the wheel, and those around you are hopefully doing the same. Studies have shown, though, that because of the effects of a time change, the prevalence of car accidents increases in the days after a switch while people adjust to the difference. Be careful when you are on the road, avoid avoidable injuries and if you are in an auto accident, be sure to know your rights and how you can be compensated for your injuries. Speak with an experienced Auto Injury Attorney today.