With the end of daylight savings time around the corner, it’s crucial to understand how it can affect your driving capabilities and safety on the road. Both the start and the end of daylight savings time can be a risky time to drive, but due to different reasons. Here are some daylight savings time driving tips to keep you safe.
Prepare for the Longer Day
When daylight savings time ends, we gain an extra hour due to changing the clock back. As a result, we have 25 hours on the day of the transition.
When DST starts, we lose an hour, which causes people to feel tired, leading to an increased risk of accidents due to fatigued driving. However, the more extended day also poses a risk.
Having an extra hour in the day makes some people feel tired, especially if they get up earlier. Furthermore, other people stay up later than usual to try to adjust, aiming to get up at the same time as they do every morning. That results in driving later than usual and while sleepier than usual on the night of the transition.
Some people take advantage of that extra hour to hang out with friends and go to bars or clubs, which may result in increased drunk driving. According to research, there is a significant increase in accidents every year on the Sunday that daylight savings time ends.
Therefore, be aware of those risks while driving. Make sure you’re not driving while sleepy. Stay inside instead of going out if you are tired, and drive cautiously, watching for potential drunk or fatigued drivers.
Practice Safe Night Driving Tips
After DST ends, people drive more when it’s dark outside due to the fact that even though the clock has changed, the time you get off work or school is the same. According to the National Safety Council, half of all traffic deaths occur during the nighttime, even though we only do a quarter of our driving at night.
Vision often isn’t as good during the night as it is during the day. Your perception, contrast, and visual acuity may be worse in the darkness, and glare from streetlamps and oncoming vehicles may distract you. You may be unable to see obstacles on the road.
Besides, people are usually more tired at night.
It’s important to get annual vision exams to ensure you don’t have uncorrected vision problems. You should also drive more carefully at night, paying extra attention to other vehicles and pedestrians. Make sure your headlights work and are clean.
Give Yourself a Few Days To Adapt
It will likely take time for you to adapt to the new schedule. For the first week or so, expect to be more tired than usual when darkness falls. Try to limit your driving activities during that first week.
If that’s not possible, drive carefully. Caffeine can help you stay alert but can also disrupt your sleep schedule if you take it too late. Minimize distractions during that first week, and try to get enough sleep.
Reset Your Circadian Rhythm
It can take some time to reset your circadian rhythm. Adjusting your sleep schedule by 10 minutes a night before DST ends can help with daylight savings time driving.
Getting enough sunlight in the morning will help your body adapt to the new schedule. Additionally, if you can’t fall asleep at your usual bedtime at night, taking melatonin can help. However, speaking to a medical professional before taking any kind of supplement or sleep medication is essential.
Most people will have the opposite problem: falling asleep earlier than usual after DST ends. It’s essential to force yourself to stay awake and go to sleep at your regular bedtime. It might be hard for a few days, but it will help your body adjust.
Watch Out for Other Drivers
While you may be taking extra care to minimize your risk after DST ends, you can’t expect the same from other drivers. Therefore, be on the watch for distracted and tired drivers posing a danger to others on the road, especially at night.
Keep your distance from other vehicles. The two-second rule applies here: stay a distance of two seconds behind other drivers so you have sufficient reaction time in case of any erratic or dangerous behavior from other drivers. Also, watch out for risky driving behavior from oncoming traffic.
Daylight savings time driving can be a bit dangerous, but there are ways to minimize your risk. By keeping distractions to a minimum, adjusting to the new schedule, and keeping an eye on the road, you can stay safe.
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