Daylight Savings Time safety - Fairview Rural Fire Department

RALEIGH – The N.C. Department of Transportation is reminding motorists that daylight saving time ends on Sunday, Nov. 4 at 2 a.m., and they need to be alert to the change. The switch back to standard time means the sun will set an hour earlier in the day and leave less light for evening commuters.

“It will become dark earlier in the afternoon, and motorists need to pay extra attention,” said Cliff Braam, traffic safety specialist for the NCDOT. “We urge caution, because other vehicles, bicyclists, and pedestrians are harder to see at dusk and at dark.”

According to NCDOT statistics, 810 pedestrians statewide were involved in vehicle crashes during dusk and nighttime hours last year. NCDOT also calculates 199 crashes involving bicyclists and vehicles occurred across the state during the same time of day in 2006.

NCDOT recommends drivers follow these tips to make the roads safer for everyone:

Check all vehicle lights to ensure they work properly. This includes headlights, parking lights, turn signals/emergency flashers, brake lights, tail and marker lights, interior lights and instrumentation lighting;
Make sure your vehicle’s headlights are on and aimed properly;
Use the night setting on your rearview mirror to avoid glare from oncoming headlights;
Switch your headlights from high beam to low beam as oncoming vehicles approach;
Drive cautiously. Be alert and watchful for bicyclists and pedestrians on the roadside, as well as at crosswalks. They may not see or hear you coming;
Supervise small children as they enter and exit the vehicle, especially when parking on a street. Let them get in or out through a curbside door away from traffic;
Remove sunglasses at dusk to increase visibility. Motorists often forget they are wearing them;
Keep your eyes moving from side to side while driving, rather than focusing on the center line or the road ahead. This practice keeps your eyes adjusted to the dark and helps avoid “highway hypnosis,” a state which impairs reaction time; and
Be sure you are well rested. Adjusting to the loss of an hour of sleep can make you tired. Do not drive if you feel drowsy.

Safety tips for pedestrians and bicyclists:

Wear brightly colored clothing or reflective gear that is easily illuminated by a vehicle’s headlights;
Use crosswalks. Do not jaywalk;
Look both ways before crossing the street; and
Walk on sidewalks when possible and face oncoming traffic.

Standard time will remain in effect until March 9, 2008 at 2 a.m.

For more information on driving safely at night or in other special circumstances, consult the North Carolina Driver’s Handbook. To get a copy, call 1-877-DOT-4YOU or visit this NCDOT web site.

***NCDOT***

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 2, 2007

-- Dara Demi Senior Communications Officer NCDOT Communications Office (919) 733-2522 (919) 715-2385