Daylight savings time has been a part of the calendar in the United States since 1918. For almost a century now, most of the country (Arizona and Hawaii excluded) has turned its clocks forward by one hour in March or April and turned them back by one hour in the fall. For most people, this change is merely an annoyance, particularly if they forget to make that change on their clocks and miss meetings or other events.
However, there are other aspects of this change that can have tangible effects on people. Several studies over the years have shown that people in general sleep less on the Sunday night after the clocks change by moving forward. The approximate average for sleep loss hovers at around 40 minutes. Some studies have also shown that the Monday after daylight savings time is a day in which the number of workplace injuries tends to increase.
Finally, there have been studies done that show that the Monday after daylight savings is a day when a high number of car accidents occur. Therefore, anyone who is out on the roads today needs to be especially careful of other drivers and they need to be especially aware of their own driving maneuvers and decisions so that many of these accidents can be avoided.
The most recent study that details the rise in car accidents on this day was performed by The Insurance Corporation of British Columbia (ICBC). The ICBC reviewed data between the years of 2005 and 2009 and found that the Monday that followed the move to daylight savings time showed an increase in car accidents by a factor of 23 percent. The factors that were tied to this increase included less sleep for motorists from the night before and a tendency for many drivers to be rushed because they were late.
Regardless of the specific reasons for this spike in car accidents on the Monday following daylight savings, the fact of the matter is that people need to be careful and give themselves some extra time to arrive at their destinations. People who are drowsy, rushed or otherwise distracted can still be negligent if they cause car accidents that lead to serious injuries or fatalities. The people who suffer because of these crashes can still bring legal actions against those who cause these crashes.
There are many stories that exist as to why the world started with this daylight savings strategy. Many believe that it was done to help farmers manage their crops from planting season through the harvest. Others believe that it was done to conserve oil that was used in lights during the early 20th Century. Still others believe that it was done to help shopkeepers attract business later into the day when the weather was nice.
Regardless of why, anyone who has been injured by a negligent driver on this or any other day needs to contact the New York accident lawyers at The Fitzgerald Law Firm today to schedule a free initial consultation.