Traffic Crashes and Time Changes 

Oceanside motorists, pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists are once again experiencing the effects of clocks going back. The annual time change that occurs on the first Sunday in November each year results in more daylight in the early morning and less daylight at the end of the day. On some of the darkest winter days of the year, even in Southern California, evening drives home from work can have very little light, and pedestrians and cyclists on the roads after the end of the workday can find themselves in complete darkness. The time change leads to more traffic collisions and injuries. Our Oceanside personal injury lawyers can tell you more.

Causes of Time Change Car Crashes

When the clocks “fall back” in the autumn or “spring ahead” in the spring, more car accidents happen in the weeks that follow. Each year, the time change impacts motorists’ ability to drive safely.

Indeed, according to a report from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), even moving clocks back or forward by an hour can result in “sleep deprivation and circadian rhythm disruptions,” which “are known to decrease attention and alertness.” As a result, drivers cause and are involved in more collisions.

Autumn Clocks Going Back Coincides With Increase in Accident Rates

Data routinely shows that time changes in both parts of the year — spring and fall — are associated with more collisions because of how the time change impacts a driver’s sleep habits and adjustments to driving on a different sleep schedule. Yet the time change that happens in early November tends to be linked to a higher rate of collisions than the time change in the spring. According to a study published in the Journal of Safety Research, the springtime change shows a decrease in nearly all types of collisions, but most importantly, those that occur in the evening hours.

During the fall, according to the data reported in the Journal of Safety Research, the autumn time change results in a 15% increase in freeway accidents, a 9% increase in intersection collisions, a 12% increase in urban traffic crashes, and an increase in dusk and nighttime crashes by nearly 30%. The more limited light with the clocks turning back, especially when so many drivers are on the road at the end of most weekdays while commuting home from work or running post-work errands, makes those evening hours some of the most dangerous times to be a pedestrian, cyclist, or motorist.

Contact an Oceanside Auto Accident Lawyer Today for Assistance

If you or someone in your family was recently injured in a collision with a negligent motorist, it is important to find out more about seeking financial compensation. With less daylight in the fall and winter, more accidents are likely to happen in the post-workday hours, especially around dusk. Drivers need to exercise increased caution, but it is also important to hold a driver accountable for any harm they cause due to their own careless behavior. One of our Oceanside auto injury attorneys can speak with you about your options for seeking compensation. Contact North County Injury Lawyers today for details about how we can help.