ICBC warns time change leads to spike in crashes
Posted November 5, 2012 7:44 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The time change means the roads will be a little more dangerous than usual over the next couple of weeks.
“There is a 10 per cent increase in the average number of crashes in the Lower Mainland during the late afternoon commute in the two weeks following the end of DST compared to the two weeks prior to the change,” explains Dr. John Vavrik, a psychologist with ICBC. “We see this crash rate increase slightly outside of the Lower Mainland, where road conditions can become more challenging earlier in the season.”
A survey conducted by ICBC found 30 per cent of drivers overcompensate for the time change by staying up late. That means they’re less focused and alert behind the wheel.
“We rationalize that extra hour — many of us think that since we’re going to get an additional hour of sleep we can stay awake longer or drive home later, but we actually end up feeling more tired and less alert,” Vavrik says.
The nasty November weather the Lower Mainland is notorious for is also a contributing factor to many crashes.
Because it gets dark an hour earlier, visibility is also more of an issue for your drive home.
