AAA Mid-Atlantic: One Less Hour of Sleep Raises Two Daylight Saving Concerns

Sunday’s “spring forward” means a risky Monday morning commute for drivers and pedestrians

PHILADELPHIA, PA (March 7, 2019) This weekend we “spring forward” sacrificing an hour of sleep for extended daylight hours that can be enjoyed throughout the summer and into early November.  Daylight Saving Time officially begins at 2:00 a.m. Sunday, March 10, and while changing the clocks might be a welcomed step toward spring, AAA says the transition puts both drivers and pedestrians at greater risk.

“There are two factors contributing to the increased risk following Daylight Saving Time - drowsiness and darkness,” says Jana L. Tidwell, manager of Public and Government Affairs for AAA Mid-Atlantic. “It’s important that both drivers and pedestrians are aware.”

Drowsy Driving:

The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety recently released the most in-depth drowsy driving research ever conducted in the U.S, using footage of everyday drivers, which found drowsy driving is a factor in about 10 percent of all crashes – that is eight times higher than previous federal estimates. 

PennDOT crash data reports that in 2017, 2,591 crashes and 10 fatal crashes were attributed to drowsy drivers.

“AAA warns that drivers who miss just one or two hours of the recommended seven hours of sleep in a 24-hour period nearly double their risk for a crash,” Tidwell says.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that 35 percent of U.S. drivers sleep less than the recommended minimum of seven hours daily. In a recent related AAA Foundation survey, nearly all drivers (96 percent) say they view drowsy driving as a serious threat to their safety and a completely unacceptable behavior. However, 29 percent admitted to driving when they were so tired they had a hard time keeping their eyes open.

Darkness:

The other issue increasing risk with the time change is darkness.

The Monday morning commute, and the morning commute for several weeks to come, will be much darker than what drivers are used to, a serious concern because 75 percent of pedestrian fatalities happen when it’s dark, according to the latest findings from the Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA).

As most pedestrian fatalities occur in urban areas, the GHSA also examined changes in the number of pedestrian fatalities for the ten most populous U.S. cities. According to the GHSA, “The total number of pedestrian fatalities for the ten largest cities decreased by about 15 percent, from 2016 to 2017, but remained about 9 percent higher than in 2015.” There were 704 pedestrian fatalities in 2016 and 601 fatalities in 2017. Nationwide, “the GHSA projects that 6,227 pedestrian fatalities occurred in 2018, the highest number in nearly three decades.”

AAA offers motorists and pedestrians the following safety tips:

AAA Tips for Drivers

• Slow down, pay attention and eliminate all distractions.
• Watch out for pedestrians when backing up in parking lots or driveways.
• Sun glare can make it difficult to see so:
• increase your following distance from the vehicle ahead of you;
• utilize your sun visor and invest in polarized sunglasses, as both can help reduce glare.
• Turn on your headlights to make yourself more visible during early morning and evening hours.
• Keep vehicle headlights and windows (inside and out) clean.
• Watch the high beams.  Do not use high beams when other cars or pedestrians are around.
• Yield to pedestrians at crosswalks. Do not pass vehicles stopped at crosswalks.

AAA Tips for Pedestrians

• Cross at intersections or crosswalks - not in the middle of the street or between parked cars.  Do not jaywalk.
• Avoid walking in traffic where there are no sidewalks or crosswalks. If you have to walk on a road that does not have sidewalks, walk facing traffic.
• Evaluate the distance and speed of oncoming traffic before you step out into the street.
• Wear bright colors or reflective clothing if you are walking near traffic at dawn, dusk and night. Carry a flashlight when walking in the dark.
• Allow extra time and distance for a vehicle to stop in inclement weather.
• While walking, pocket the cell phone and avoid listening to your iPod or MP3 player at a volume that prohibits you from hearing approaching danger.
• Do not let umbrellas or jacket hoods block your view of approaching traffic.

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AAA provides automotive, travel and insurance services to 57 million members nationwide and more than three million members in Pennsylvania.  AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years.  The not-for-profit, fully tax-paying member organization works on behalf of motorists, who can now map a route, find local gas prices, discover discounts, book a hotel and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app for iPhone, iPad and Android.  For more information, visit www.AAA.com.