Fall Back Safely: Daylight Saving Time Road Safety
We love to feature content developed for clients, like this piece for insurance client, Onlia. The original article can be viewed here.
Tree leaves are changing colours and the days are getting shorter — it’s clear that fall has arrived in Canada. This also signals the end of Daylight Saving Time (DST), with the clocks falling back on November 3rd, 2019.
While you can enjoy that extra hour of sleep, the loss of one hour of light in the evenings lines up with when road collision risks are the highest. For all road users, the first week after DST ends can be a hard adjustment, but anticipating earlier darkness in the evening helps proactively manage the risk on your commute.
Take a look at these tips on how to stay safe through the DST transition, whether you’re a driver, cyclist, or pedestrian.
Check your driving behaviour
If you’re behind the wheel, know that it will be harder to see cyclists, pedestrians, and other road users, making it critically important to take it slow and be cautious. Reducing your speed allows for better response time, and minimizes the risk of serious injury if there is a collision.
DST coincides with the start of Canada’s nastiest weather. Ensure your vehicle’s fluids are topped up and all lights work. This bit of maintenance will ensure you have prime visibility in darker hours.
Stow your phone and other distractions. This will keep you focused on the road, and on the lookout for other road users. It also keeps you tapped into other hazards; wildlife may be on the move, or weather conditions rapidly changing.
Be visible when cycling
For cyclists, this is a prime time to check that their cycling lights work. Ontario’s Highway Traffic Act requires cyclists to equip bikes with a “white front light and a red rear light or reflector if you ride between 1/2 hour before sunset and 1/2 hour after sunrise.”
Reflective clothing helps cyclists maintain their visibility to other cyclists and drivers. Along with lights, retroreflective materials in red and yellow are some of the most visible. When reflective material is in a biomotion configuration, along the limbs of the body that move, it makes it even easier to spot cyclists — which is increasingly important with the shortened days.
Finally, stay predictable. This means staying in bike lanes, moving with traffic flow, and obeying traffic signals as well as laws. Being predictable allows other road users to anticipate what’s about to happen, and know where to expect cyclists.
Stay safe on the streets
While larger road users, such as vehicles and cyclists, have a responsibility to look out for pedestrians, the end of DST is a good reminder to brush up on your pedestrian routines as well.
The arrival cooler months means bundling up in winter coats, which are typically darker colours, making you harder to see during evening commutes — especially in inclement weather. Our recommendations for cyclists on brighter colours and reflective materials works for those that commute by foot as well!
If you have kids that walk home from school, try picking them up and walking home with them the first few weeks after DST ends, so they’re used to the darker afternoons and evenings.
For all pedestrians, it is key to transit in well-lit areas, using pedestrian walkways, crosswalks, sidewalks. Sticking to high visibility areas will help keep you protected, as it ensures that other road users can see you.
Caution, awareness, and preparedness can set up all road users for safety. Make sure to rethink your commute as you are turning the clocks back!