ST. GEORGE — Daylight Saving time is coming to an end overnight Saturday, so there will be extended hours of darkness that have the potential to place pedestrians and bicyclists at risk of becoming “invisible” to motorists.
A recent email submitted by a St. George News reader outlined the dangers many motorists have likely faced while driving in the dark – when a pedestrian or cyclist seems to appear out of nowhere.
This can be a “heart-stopping” experience, the reader wrote, and these close encounters on the roadway tend to be too close for comfort.
“With time changes come greater risks,” said AAA Northeast Spokeswoman Fran Mayko in a release, adding that driving in the dark poses more hazards so drivers need to be especially attentive
Mayko also said numerous studies have shown that the time change can have a significant impact on concentration, attention and decision-making.
Encountering a rider or walker wearing dark clothing, with no reflectors or other safety gear, can make them invisible to drivers on the road, the reader’s email said, and road safety is an even more pressing issue following the two recent incidents involving bicyclists that were struck by vehicles during two separate events.
Complicating matters is the fact the time change taking place this weekend, which can mean an extra hour of sleep for some, but it also means the mornings are darker – and it gets dark earlier – and darker roads often result in riskier journeys for all road users – including pedestrians and cyclists that seem to vanish once the sun goes down.
Over the last decade, the number of pedestrians killed at night shot up by more than 67%, compared to a 16% increase in those killed during the day, and a study conducted by AAA revealed that motor vehicle crashes increase by more than 150% after Daylight Saving Time ends – which is why it is so crucial that drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists take extra caution during the witching hour – usually between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.
Further evidence suggests the transition in changing the clocks for Daylight Saving Time has a significant impact on traffic safety and the increased risk of being involved in a deadly crash, which has been attributed, in part, to sleep deprivation and circadian misalignment, which is the body’s internal clock.
This disruption to their normal routine can create distractions for the motoring public, and the added dangers that can result – especially behind the wheel. There is also evidence to suggest that an earlier sunset and darkness can lead to an increase in the number of pedestrians killed or seriously injured by vehicles.
Moreover, the AAA report is supported by numerous studies that revealed that darkness is one of the major risk factors when it comes to road safety. Some 28% of all miles traveled are at night, which is also when more than half of all fatalities occur – which is after sunset. The reason is that 90% of a driver’s reaction depends on vision, which is severely limited at night, as well as depth perception and color recognition that is also compromised after the sun goes down.
There are also human factors that come into play for pedestrians as well. First, it’s more difficult to see the path ahead when it’s dark and harder to spot potential trip hazards, which means pedestrians tend to spend more time looking down, leaving them more vulnerable to any obstacles lying directly ahead – which includes an oncoming vehicle.
Similar to what the reader reported, there is a science behind the inability to see pedestrians in particular, and much of that has to do with seconds and inches – since a driver can only avoid colliding with a pedestrian if they see them early enough to recognize the impending collision, and then time to react.
These challenges, in part, have led to a fatality rate for pedestrians that is three times higher at night than during the day. when scaled with the number of miles traveled.
For the driving public, remaining focused and alert to the road and all surrounding traffic can increase safety for everyone on the road and also allows the driver the ability to anticipate what others may do before they do it.
AAA also recommends that motorists allow more following room and be mindful of children and others who are outdoors in the afternoon and evening, as it gets dark earlier. Removing any distractions can also increase safety, as well as making sure all headlights and other equipment are consistently maintained.
Pedestrians also play a role in traffic and roadway safety, and one of the most important steps to eliminating the invisibility factor at night is to wear brightly-colored clothing equipped with reflectors that can also be placed on shoes to help them stand out to motor vehicle drivers.
Always crossing the street in a crosswalk or intersection is also recommended, and maintaining situational awareness can also reduce the risk of being struck by a vehicle, in addition to following the rules of the road and obeying traffic signs and signals.
For cyclists, wearing protective equipment and clothing that makes them more visible to others, including a bike helmet and bright clothing, as well as reflective gear and front and rear lighting on the bike for night riding, when visibility is poor.
A complete list of safety tips can be found at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Let off the gas pedal
Higher vehicle speeds not only increase the risk of being involved in a crash but also increase the risk of being significantly injured or killed, largely due to the fact that pedestrians and bicyclists don’t have a vehicle’s structure to protect them, so even a small increase in speed can have a huge impact on the severity of the crash, according to the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety.
If a driver is traveling at 60 mph, for example, which is roughly 88 feet per second, and they suddenly see a pedestrian or bicyclist, a typical reaction time is roughly 1.5 seconds. During this small span, the car has moved more than 130 feet. Applying the brakes doesn’t stop the car immediately, so the car continues to move forward until the friction from the brakes stops all motion, which takes another 150 feet to stop the car in time to avoid the impact.
That means the motorist needs to see 280 feet ahead of them and nearly five seconds of reaction time in advance – assuming road conditions are good.
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