The AA has urged drivers to take care on the roads after the clocks go back this weekend as new data shows a spike in crashes following the change.
Collision data from the AA’s Accident Assist team reveals crashes rose by 11% in the fortnight after the autumn clock change in 2023 compared to the fortnight before.
Tim Rankin, managing director of AA Accident Assist, said: “Our stats are clear that when the clocks fall back, we see a rise in the number of crashes.”
It’s the latest study to show an increase in road traffic collisions after the clocks go back and there have been many calls over the years for British Summer Time (BST) to be maintained all year round to save lives, in particular for vulnerable road users.
RoSPA has been campaigning since the 1960s for clock changes to be scrapped and has previously said the potential to save lives by ending the autumn clock change was shown in a three-year experiment carried out in 1968, which saw the clocks brought forward in March that year and not turned back until October 1971.
The data revealed that approximately 2,500 fewer people were killed and seriously injured during the winters of 1968/69 and 1969/70 compared to the previous two years; equating to a reduction of 11.7%.
The AA warned that darker evenings, wet weather and slippery streets all contribute to increased collisions in late October and early November. Even when the weather is drier and sunnier in autumn, drivers struggle with low-lying sun and glare off the roads.
Last month, three-quarters (73%) of drivers said the worst thing about driving in autumn was being dazzled by the sun. More than half (52%) said other drivers not using their lights properly was a problem, while two-fifths (40%) said darker mornings and evenings were the worst aspect of autumnal motoring.
Government road casualty figures for 2023 show there were 3,680 collisions where someone was injured or killed due to the driver’s vision being affected by adverse weather or dazzling sun. Similarly, there were 4,244 injury collisions where the road surface was slippery due to weather conditions.
AA Accident Assist has warned drivers to keep a bigger distance from the vehicle in front to allow for longer braking distances and to keep sunglasses in the car ready for dazzling sun and glare off wet roads. And it’s urged drivers not to rely on automatic light settings, which don’t always activate the headlights in foggy or misty conditions.
The AA has also partnered with the FIA’s School Road Safety campaign, reminding drivers to be extra cautious when driving near schools at drop-off and pick-up times.
Rankin continued: “The best advice is to drive to the conditions, ensure your car is in good condition and to look out for other road users.”
