Car accident may result from daylight saving time change

Drowsy driving can pose a problem on New York streets at any time of the year. However, it can especially be a problem following daylight saving time in the spring. In fact, research shows that the change leads to a greater car accident risk because drivers lose an hour of sleep as a result of this change.

Researchers recently assessed a national government registry of more than 732,000 fatal crashes that occurred between 1996 and 2017. The researchers discovered that fatal crashes went up 6% following the clock change compared with previous weeks. However, the increase was about 9% during the hours leading up to noon.

Experts said that the 9% figure might be tied to fatigue coupled with the fact that the morning hours are darker in the first week after the Sunday time change. According to the research, between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. was the only time that did not show an effect of daylight saving time. Daylight saving time remains a bone of contention across the United States because, in addition to potentially increasing the risk of accidents, some claim that it offers no true energy-saving or economic benefits.

If a driver in New York causes an injury-causing car accident due to drowsy driving or other forms of negligent driving, any other party injured in the crash may opt to file a personal injury claim against him or her, seeking the reimbursement of damages. Liability must be established before a civil court hearing the case before a judge will decide any claims for damages. A case that is fought successfully may lead to damages to cover medical costs and other losses related to the car accident.