Daylight Saving Time Saves Pedestrians’ Lives

Don’t forget. Daylight Saving Time starts tomorrow morning.

Who knew? (bolding mine)

In 1975 the U.S. DOT conservatively identified a 0.7% reduction in traffic fatalities during DST, and estimated the real reduction to be 1.5% to 2%,^[58] but the 1976 NBS review of the DOT study found no differences in traffic fatalities.^[39] In 1995 the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety estimated a reduction of 1.2%, including a 5% reduction in crashes fatal to pedestrians.^[6] Others have found similar reductions.^[59] Single/Double Summer Time (SDST), a variant where clocks are one hour ahead of the sun in winter and two in summer, has been projected to reduce traffic fatalities by 3% to 4% in the UK, compared to ordinary DST.^[60] It is not clear whether sleep disruption contributes to fatal accidents immediately after the spring clock shifts.^[61] A correlation between clock shifts and traffic accidents has been observed in North America and the UK but not in Finland or Sweden. If this effect exists, it is far smaller than the overall reduction in traffic fatalities.^[62] A 2009 U.S. study found that on Mondays after the switch to DST, workers sleep an average of 40 minutes less, and are injured at work more often and more severely.^[63]

Combine Daylight Saving Time with Daniel’s Pedestrian Survival Techniques and you’ll be walking safer than ever. (for a few months)

The way it works is simple: As you’re walking toward your destination, you remain constantly aware of the vehicular traffic coming from either direction. Once a clear break appears, you cross at that moment. There’s no wait time, because you continue walking while you watch for the opening. It’s highly safe, or at least you have maximum control over your own safety. Before “jaywalking” was stigmatized and banned through a campaign by automobile lobbyists, this was a perfectly acceptable way to approach a typical dilemma.

Set your clocks back. 🙂