There are both those who are against and those who are in favor of following daylight savings time. Despite this, the vast majority of industrialized countries choose to observe and participate in the established practice. As a result, when the month of March rolls in like a lion with the exception of two states in the nation, Hawaii, and Arizona, the rest of the country changes their clocks an hour forward. This is the quintessential indication that winter is finally coming to an end and spring with its longer days is on its way.
Here in Virginia, it is imperative to remember to turn those clocks forward to begin DST. Otherwise, you may find that you are going to be running late to many of your commitments. While being punctual is important, so is staying safe on the roads. It is always good advice to be cautious and alert when you drive. However, considering that there are studies showing accidents spike by over 6% in the week after that clock change, you should make sure to be increasingly vigilant when you go about driving during this time.
If you were injured in a car accident in Virginia Beach, the Virginia Beach car accident lawyer at Virginia Beach Injury Law can assist you with obtaining compensation and preserving your legal rights.
How is Daylight Savings Time Related to Car Accidents?
When you change your clock forward you lose one hour of your day. While this may seem nominal, it actually can take a toll on your body and behavior. Just an hour shift in your schedule and your sleep pattern can be unsettling for your body and brain to adapt to at first. It could take a day, several days, a week, or more for a person to get back into their normal rhythm.
Considering that drowsy and distracted driving are two of the leading causes of car accidents, when your brain cannot focus because it is in a fog while adjusting to a time change, getting behind the wheel becomes a bit riskier. When you add on one less hour of sleep, you can become significantly more tired than usual. Thinking of all of the changes that have to be accounted for and acclimated to, it is understandable how DST can have an effect on the number of car accidents that occur.
The day becomes longer and that means that the sun may be out more when DST takes place. A person’s natural circadian rhythm is described by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences as the physical, mental, and behavioral shifts that happen during a 24-hour cycle. The presence of light and dark weigh heavily on the functioning of this behavioral process. Alterations in one’s circadian rhythm are why the human body experiences the phenomenon of jet lag when they go from one time zone to the next. As such, circadian rhythm is impacted by the implementation of DST.
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Combined, loss of sleep, the body’s biological clock changing, and experiencing varied brightness and darkness can have a significant effect on optimal human functioning. As a result, the consequences of DST and driving may mean more truck, car, motorcycle, and other vehicular crashes.
The aftermath of a car or truck accident can cause considerable damages to victims. If you were in a vehicular accident, please call the Norfolk truck accident attorney at Virginia Beach Injury Law today to schedule a free consultation at (757) 802-4662.
