IT'S time again to turn the clocks back, start the griping about loss of sleep, and heed the twice-annual warning about road safety following the time change.
The clocks turn back at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 4.
Although the phenomenon was once thought to be urban myth, the uptick in auto collisions associated with the shift is actually a measurable problem, according to the Insurance Corporation of B.C.
"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," said John Vavrik, an ICBC psychologist, in a press release. "We see this crash rate increase slightly outside of the Lower Mainland, where road conditions can become more challenging earlier in the season."
People often forgo the "extra hour" of sleep that comes with fall daylight savings by simply staying up later, and the quality of sleep goes down as people's natural circadian rhythms are thrown off, Vavrik added. It all amounts to drivers being less alert behind the wheel.
To help mitigate the risk, ICBC has a number of recommendations: Keep to your regular sleep/wake cycle; don't assume you are more rested and alert following the change as the quality of your sleep is likely down; slow down, especially with the darker afternoons and worsening weather; and make sure your vehicle's headlights and windshield wipers are in good condition.
Pedestrians are advised to take more caution when crossing streets.
