Research shows that fatal car crashes increase the week following the end of DST.

There are many potential reasons for this, including drivers not being used to traveling home in the dark during rush hour, hindered night vision, headlight glare, and FATIGUE.

Daylight Savings Time (DST) ends on 7 November in the United States.

Here are 10 tips to help keep you and your family safe:

  1. Have regular eyesight checks and remember that as people age, they have greater difficulty seeing at night. If you wear glasses, choose anti-reflective ones for driving in the dark
  2. Adjust your schedule, if possible, to reduce hours spent driving in the dark
  3. Keep your vehicle well maintained, and carry out regular vehicle checks including lights, indicators, tires, and fluid levels
  4. Avoid distractions while driving
  5. Remember that visibility is reduced in the dark, which means you have less time to react to something up ahead. Increase your following distance and adjust your speed so you are able to stop within the distance you see to be clear. At night, this is the distance illuminated by your headlights.
  6. Be mindful of darkness increasing risk levels between the hours of 3:00-6:00 PM as children make their way home from school and people travel home from work
  7. Drive according to weather conditions – it takes around twice as long to stop on wet roads and up to ten times as long on icy roads
  8. Employ defensive driving techniques, looking out for all road users and anticipating their actions
  9. If you use full beam headlights, remember to dip them when another vehicle is approaching
  10. Remember that unfamiliar routes can look different in the dark

Did you know?

Many people assume that because we “gain” an hour at the end of DST, we will be more alert and aware following the clock change. However, this isn’t always the case as some people stay awake longer due to thinking they’re getting an extra hour of sleep*!

*Dr. John Vavrik, Insurance Bureau of British Columbia (ICBC)

Visit eDriving’s Fatigue Resource Center for information on how to prevent tired driving as the end of DST approaches, including an infographic, eBook, webinar and best practice guide.