End of Daylight Savings Time brings heightened risk of crashes: ICBC

B.C. drivers overestimate the benefits of an extra hour of sleep that comes with the end of Daylight Savings Time (DST), causing drivers to experience greater risks on the road, an ICBC survey found.
There is a 10% increase in the average number of crashes in the province’s Lower Mainland during the late afternoon commute in the two weeks following the end of DST compared to the two weeks preceding the change, an ICBC release says.
According to the survey, 30% of drivers overcompensate for that extra hour of sleep by staying up later and therefore losing any potential benefit, an ICBC release says.
The survey also found that only 24% of drivers feel more alert the morning after the time change, while 19% actually feel less alert, despite the fact that we should feel more rested and that it’s also lighter out for the first few morning commutes following the time change.
“Part of the problem can be that we anticipate getting an additional hour of sleep so we stay out longer or drive home later, and we actually end up feeling more tired and less alert,” said Dr. John Vavrik, a psychologist with ICBC. “Our survey showed this behaviour is particularly evident among young drivers (46%) who already tend to be a higher crash risk.”
A darker commute on the way home, worsening weather and a real lack of visibility to other vulnerable road users compound the issue, Vavrik added.