This weekend marks the end of daylight saving time and, according to the experts, the beginning of a period in which the risk of traffic accidents increases due to the time change.
"Since night falls an hour earlier, the commute home from work or school will likely be in the dark," says Adele Kristiansson, National Road Safety Foundation director of marketing and legislative affairs, in an Automotive.com report. "Also, the change of waking time coupled with earlier nightfall throws off our internal clock. It can take as long as two weeks for our bodies to adjust."
"The fundamental problem we have in our current 24/7 society is that everyone is already somewhat sleep deprived," says Dr. Patrick J. Strollo Jr., medical director of the University of Pittsburgh’s Sleep Disorder Program, in a report by Health.com. "When we make even small adjustments in sleep schedules, that can have a negative impact."
In short, the shift from daylight saving to standard time this weekend could put your employees at greater risk of traffic accidents on their Monday commute—and maybe even for the next couple of weeks.
Have your employees teach themselves defensive driving techniques with BLR’s Interactive CD Course: Defensive Driving. Completely self-contained and usable anywhere. Try it at no cost or risk. Find out more.
Extra Care Needed
People should be especially careful when driving home after a long, hard day at work. “Combining dark roads with end-of-day exhaustion and stress is a recipe for disaster,” says Health.com.
“Coffee or another caffeinated beverage can help you with your commute home," says Strollo.
But drivers aren’t the only ones who should be careful. Health.com cites a study by Carnegie Mellon University, which found that the risk of pedestrian fatalities following the time change jumped 186%, before dropping again in December. The study claimed that, along with dark roads, difficulty adjusting to the end of daylight saving was a factor in these fatal accidents.
Try BLR’s Interactive CD Course: Defensive Driving at no cost or risk. Get the details.
Effects of Fatigue
With the switch from daylight saving to standard time comes sleep deprivation for those who have trouble adjusting, which means more drowsy drivers on the road.
When you drive tired, the risk of having an accident goes way up. That’s because not getting enough sleep negatively affects your:
Reflexes, slowing your reaction time- Judgment, making it more likely that you’ll make mistakes and take risks
- Concentration, allowing your mind to wander and increasing the chances of being distracted
- Alertness, increasing the chance that you’ll miss important traffic cues
- Mood, putting you in a bad mood and leaving you unmotivated
Research shows that inattention and other mental lapses contribute to as many as 50 percent of all crashes. While fatigue may not be involved in all these crashes, it clearly contributes to many of them.
Tomorrow, we’ll examine the hazards of driving after dark and the simple precautions that can protect your employees when they drive before sunrise or after sunset.
Other Recent Articles on Injuries and Illness
OSHA Says Protect Workers from BBPs
OSHA’s BBP Standard: Your Questions Answered
Curb BBPs with Universal Precautions
Untrue Blood: Scientists Look for Blood Substitute
PingBack from http://topsy.com/tb/ow.ly/15XL33
Exposure to bloodborne pathogens such as hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and HIV can lead to serious illness. Although healthcare workers and emergency first responders are most at risk, any employee can be exposed when giving first aid in the workplace,
Exposure to bloodborne pathogens such as hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, and HIV can lead to serious illness. Although healthcare workers and emergency first responders are most at risk, any employee can be exposed when giving first aid in the workplace,