ICBC is warning drivers to take extra care on the roads next week after the change back to standard time, this weekend.
Clocks turn back an hour, marking the end of daylight time, at 2 a.m. Sunday morning.
ICBC statistics have shown in the two weeks following the change, the average number of crashes during the late afternoon commutes increased by 16 per cent, compared to the two weeks prior to the change.
"Safety is our top priority, which is why we're asking drivers to recognize that the effect of the time change combined with increasingly challenging road conditions can increase your chances of being in a crash," said Todd Stone, minister of transportation and infrastructure, in a press statement.
According to an ICBC survey, 30 per cent of drivers overcompensate for the extra hour of sleep by staying up later, losing any potential benefit of the extra rest.
Concentration, alertness and reaction time to potential hazards can all be affected.
"We rationalize that extra hour of sleep - many of us think that we can stay awake longer, but we actually end up feeling more tired and less alert," said Dr. John Vavrik, a psychologist with ICBC.
"The time change is an opportunity to get some extra rest and it's also a good time to think about how we can adjust our driving to the fall and winter road conditions."
ICBC recommends that drivers allow extra time for their commute, adjust their speed to varying conditions, and prepare for the change in weather, with tasks like topping off windshield wiper fluid and cleaning vehicle headlights.
