End of Daylight Savings Could Mean More Accidents
The Georgia Injury Law Blog has posted an interesting article that discusses how the number of auto accidents, including fatalities involving pedestrians, can rise with the end of daylight savings time.
According to a report released by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 25% of the 4,092 pedestrian fatalities happened between 4pm and 8pm and 13% happened between 4am and 8am. These hours seem to be some of the most dangerous for pedestrians because drivers are still getting used to losing an hour of daylight and the low-light driving conditions and not see pedestrians.
The article provides several tips for drivers and pedestrians.
Drivers should be extra careful to look for pedestrians at cross walks and intersections and slow down. Also, pedestrians should wear brightly colored or reflective clothing to ensure visibility to approaching drivers. If walking in the early morning or evening, carry a flashlight. You should try to avoid distractions, such as an iPod, cell phone, or anything that would make it difficult to hear an approaching car.
