The approach of daylight savings time means people will have an extra hour of daylight in their day to look forward to. However, moving clocks up an hour may produce some added dangers of road collisions and personal injury. This is because some people have problems adjusting their sleeping schedules to handle the change in time.
According to CBS News, last year the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found increased risks of getting into an accident if drivers do not get enough sleep. Because of the switch to daylight savings time, people may lose an hour or two of sleep. However, losing sleep can impede the ability of a driver to focus while behind the wheel. In fact, the AAA found that missing just one or two hours of sleep doubles the odds of getting into a collision.
AAA further explained that not getting enough sleep before driving can produce drowsy driving. The organization cited drivers who admitted to having trouble staying awake while driving. AAA concluded that motorists who had not slept for at least five hours experienced an automobile collision risk that compares to the kind of risk experienced by drunk drivers.
While some people may believe losing sleep is not a problem for driving, the AAA concluded there is no real substitute for getting proper sleep. Some drivers attempt to stave off drowsiness while on the road by drinking coffee or other caffeinated drinks, putting on loud music, or lowering the window to let in a breeze. However, these methods cannot overrule the need of the human body to sleep if it does not get enough rest.
Certain signs appear that may warn you that you could fall asleep while driving. As mentioned by the AAA, some drivers had admitted to problems keeping their eyes open. Lane drifting may also evidence drowsiness, as well as not recalling the last few miles you have just driven. Experiencing these signs are good indicators to stop and rest before a major accident results that could harm or kill someone.
