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How Does Daylight Savings Time Increase Car Accidents?

Daylight Savings Time

Many people strongly believe we should have Daylight Saving Time (DST). Some prefer having more light in the evening. Daylight Saving Time begins mid-March. Is it a good idea?

Some evidence suggests that DST leads to a spike in auto-related accidents. More information on this vital topic is below. If you were in a car accident recently, our Lake County car accident lawyers at The Law Office of Robert Edens, P.C. can help.

What Is Daylight Saving Time?

DST is when we move our clocks forward an hour in the spring, as the practice of moving clocks forward an hour in many countries as warmer weather occurs in the spring. Then, the time is turned back to Standard Time in the fall. DST is intended to offer better use of available daylight hours by raising the number of evening hours.

Are There More Car Crashes After DST Begins?

Opinions differ about whether DST is a good idea. However, science suggests that moving clocks ahead one hour in the spring could cause more car crashes. For example, the University of Colorado at Boulder reported in January 2020 that its study of 732,000 crashes over 20 years showed a 6% rise in fatal auto accidents that week. That increase led to approximately 28 more crash deaths every year.

The study was reported in the January 2020 edition of Current Biology. It also noted that the farther west people live in their time zones, the greater the risk of fatal car accidents.

These findings were reported at a time when many states are thinking about doing away with DST. Evidence suggests that DST may increase workplace injuries, strokes, and heart attacks.

Why Does DST Cause More Car Crashes?

Some scientists believe that the loss of an hour in the evening every spring causes Americans to have ‘jetlag’ that is stronger in the first few days after the time change. The symptoms can linger for up to two weeks. Statistics also suggest that drivers lose 40 minutes of sleep on the night of DST in addition to the one-hour change.

Interrupted sleep may tire us, leading to poor decisions and driver fatigue. Also, less light in the morning can have a negative effect on driving safely.

How To Adapt To DST

Reduce your risk of a car accident after DST takes effect with these tips:

  • Reduce cell phone and TV light exposure before bed.
  • Avoid coffee, alcohol, and heavy meals before bed. Eat dinner a few minutes earlier per night.
  • Go to bed 20 minutes earlier each night before the time change.
  • Set your clocks ahead the afternoon before the time change and go to bed at your regular time.

Speak To Our Lake County Car Accident Lawyers Now

Were you in a car accident recently in Lake County near Six Flags Great America, the Chicago Botanic Garden, or another location? Evidence suggests more auto accidents after Daylight Saving Time begins each spring. If you were in an accident caused by someone’s negligence and have injuries, you need a personal injury lawyer. Contact our Lake County car accident lawyers at The Law Office of Robert Edens, P.C. now at (847) 395-2200.

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Am I at Fault for a Car Accident on a Slippery Road?

car accident car accident lawyersWhen driving in snowy weather, you may love the outside view and feel cozy inside the vehicle, but the piling up snow or water can on your path prove outright dangerous for you and your family. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, bad weather and wet, slippery road conditions are responsible for half a million crashes and 2000 fatalities in the US every winter.

So what happens when you face a car accident on a slippery road? Are you at fault if your vehicle collides with another? Let’s find out:

Are You Liable in a Bad-Weather Accident?

It’s important to understand here that as a driver, it’s your responsibility to stay aware of the weather conditions and adapt your driving behavior to it. When driving in bad weather, you should anticipate challenges like flooded sections on a roadway, reduced visibility, and slick pavement. Hence, you should not just drive slower than usual but also maintain a greater distance between the vehicle and other cars. Apart from maintaining control, you must take all reasonable measures to avoid collisions.

In case your road accident occurred near your home, you must have been aware of the poor weather conditions, and thus, sections of the roads should be prone to standing water. Ignoring everything, you chose to drive fast and tailgate a vehicle in front of you. You’re certainly at fault for the collision, as it clearly indicates that you were negligent in adapting your driving to the weather.

If, however, you did everything in your power to avoid an accident, you have all the rights to argue that you were not at fault or even that the other driver was negligible. This can be true if that car’s taillights had burned out, its driver switched the lane without prior indication or another type of negligence on their part.

However, proving your point in weather-related accidents is not as easy as it sounds. Investigators will not just take your word into account, but they will also consider the stance of the opposing party as well as interview other people, evaluate the traffic congestion at the time, closely assess the road conditions and the vehicles involved in a collision, and even the black box data from cars before reaching a verdict.

Personal Injury Attorney

Hence, you need strong legal representation to succeed in a car accident case associated with bad weather. While there are many car accident lawyers out there, no one beats Robert T. Edens. Whether you faced the collision in Chicago, Waukegan, Libertyville, Woodstock, or Antioch, IL, Robert Edens is ready to help you out.