Does Daylight Savings Time Contribute to Car Accidents?

Every time you get behind the wheel, you theoretically run the risk of getting into a collision with a drunk, distracted, or reckless driver. There are certain days of the year on which the roads are especially dangerous, though, because more people are likely to be traveling.

More congestion means more opportunities for wrecks, which is a correlation that statistics can confirm. For example, according to CBS News, motorists are four times more likely to get in a fatal collision on Memorial Day weekend than they are on a random Saturday or Sunday.

If you had to guess which other days of the year are notoriously dangerous for road travel, you might wager New Year’s Eve, Christmas, and Thanksgiving. Although not a holiday, daylight savings time has also proven to cause a spike in traffic crashes.

If you were hurt in a wreck with a negligent motorist, you may have grounds for a personal injury claim. Turn to the Cooper Law Firm to determine the most strategic way to proceed.

Attorney N. Eric Cooper is a member of the Texas Trial Lawyers Association and the Gregg County Bar Association. Call 903-297-0037 to schedule a free case evaluation with an accident lawyer in Tyler.

Does Daylight Savings Time Contribute to Car Accidents?

According to CBS New York, researchers have determined that turning the clocks forward makes the roads far more dangerous the following day. In fact, the Monday after daylight savings time is one of the deadliest days for road travel all over the country.

After analyzing 10 years of data, scientists were able to quantify the precise risk. On the Monday after turning clocks forward in the spring, there is a 17-percent increase in the number of traffic fatalities.

This is likely due to the fact that people’s internal clocks take some time to adjust to their new sleep cycle, and few get adequate rest on that first night of daylight savings time. Researchers noticed there were a lot more fatal collisions during early-morning rush hour, and many of them involved trucks.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that more than 33 percent of American adults are sleep deprived on a regular basis. Losing an additional hour of valuable rest only exacerbates the problem, which is why accidents are more likely the day after changing the clocks.

This year, the clocks will change on March 11, so if you have to work on March 12, be especially careful when driving in that morning. You should also make it a point to get to bed an hour earlier than usual on March 11 to prevent drowsiness the next day.

Unfortunately, even if you make a conscious effort to avoid drowsy driving, there is no guarantee that other motorists will do the same. If you were hurt in a collision with a reckless driver, contact the Cooper Law Firm today.

You may be entitled to compensation for hospital bills, lost wages, and all subsequent costs associated with your recovery. Call 903-297-0037 to schedule a free consultation with an accident attorney in Tyler. You can learn more about auto wreck claims in Texas by visiting the USAttorneys website.