Daylight Savings Dangers: How To Keep New Yorkers Safe In The Dark

Daylight Savings Dangers: How To Keep New Yorkers Safe In The Dark

Today marks the end of Daylight Savings and the start of danger to come. An uptick in motor vehicle accidents around this time of the year puts everyone on the road at risk. As New Yorkers prepare for darker days ahead, these are the risk factors you need to know to keep your family safe on the streets.  

Driving In The Dark 

Fall and winter continue to be the most deadly seasons to drive. Dark roads significantly compromise essential driving functions such as visibility, depth perception, color recognition, and peripheral vision. Without light from the sun, drivers are left to rely on their headlights to guide the way. But even these tools are not enough to prevent accidents.  

Nighttime accidents occur at three times the rate of daytime accidents. According to the National Safety Council, a driver’s visibility in the dark is limited to 250 feet with normal headlights. This provides drivers with far less time to react to road hazards, even when a driver is paying attention. 

NYC motorists can increase their visibility at night by using the following safety methods: 

  • Keep headlights clean and aimed correctly at the road; 
  • Dim dashboard lighting to reduce glare;  
  • Wear anti-reflective glasses;  
  • Clean windshields and keep clear of items or hanging decor; 
  • Keep your speed slow; and  
  • Stay alert behind the wheel (no distractions).  

Turning on the high beams can increase a driver’s visibility by another 250 feet, but they’re not always safe to use. These bright lights can blind pedestrians and other motorists in your path. Use them accordingly and when they pose the least harm to others.  

Fatigued Drivers 

A one hour change to your sleep schedule may affect your driving more than you think. According to the National Sleep Foundation, our internal circadian biological clock regulates our periods of sleepiness and wakefulness throughout the day. When the sun rises, our body starts to wake. When the sun sets, our body becomes tired. 

Unfortunately, the demands of our modern schedules have little place for circadian rhythm. With the end of Daylight Savings, millions of people will be behind the wheel and struggling to stay awake. Drowsy drivers are more likely to swerve, nod off, shift lanes, and have reduced reaction times, all actions known for leading to accidents. 

Rush hour can also prove to be especially hazardous, with cars sitting in long lines of dark traffic for hours at a time. Drivers in these situations may nod off from waiting or enter a mental autopilot mode that blinds them to others on the road.  

More than 60 percent of American adults admit to driving while drowsy, and 37 percent admit to falling asleep behind the wheel- don’t become a statistic. If you are too tired to drive, pull over, and take a rest. Don’t stay up late on Saturday to account for the one hour of extra sleep. And if you are finding you’re often too tired to drive, consider another mode of transportation to reduce your risk.  

Aggressive Driving  

Aggressive drivers do not typically change their behaviors when driving in the dark. Reckless driving at night can drastically increase the severity of injuries in a car accident. Drivers have less time to spot hazards and stop for pedestrians or cyclists when it is dark, even more so if they are speeding or performing blind turns.  

You may not think you are an aggressive driver, but reckless behaviors are contagious. According to the Governors Traffic Safety Committee, these are the driving behaviors you should be avoiding:  

  • Sharp turns; 
  • Speeding; 
  • Hard braking; 
  • Fast accelerations; 
  • Risky lane maneuvers; 
  • Turning without signaling; 
  • Honking your horn; and  
  • Yelling or gesturing to other drivers on the road.  

Try to stay calm and relaxed on the road and put your pride in the backseat. 

Don’t escalate a situation. Move safely out of the way is a driver is using reckless behaviors and ignore harassing gestures. If a driver is showing extremely concerning behaviors, report them to local law enforcement.  

Dusk and Darkness  

Activity levels in NYC do not decrease after the clocks fall back. NY Department of Transportation (DOT) officials report November to March continues to be the most dangerous time of the year for pedestrians and cyclists in NYC. Between shorter days, darker walking conditions, and inclement weather, these New Yorkers are left fighting for their lives during their daily and nightly commutes.  

In its fourth year running, the Vision Zero Dusk and Darkness safety campaign aims to spread awareness about the safety concerns with shorter days and earlier sunsets on the road. Beginning with the “Day of Awareness” last week, street teams across the city kicked off the campaign by engaging with drivers and pedestrians about the dangers of nighttime travel. These officials visited some of the most problematic areas of the city, prone to high rates of nighttime accidents, to encourage residents to stay alert. 

With the official start of the Dusk and Darkness campaign, New Yorkers may notice a few changes on the streets including,  

  • Increased law enforcement; 
  • Emphasis on reckless driving violations;  
  • Radio ads during evening commutes to remind drivers to stay alert; and 
  • Safety posters across the city to spread awareness of nighttime road dangers.  

Speeding, left-hand turns, and failure to yield are the leading culprits of vehicle accidents after dark. To reduce these hazards, Vision Zero officials and the NYPD encourages all motorists to do the following:  

  • Slow Down: People who drive 25 MPH or slower are better able to avoid crashes at night.  
  • Don’t Cut Corners: Turns faster than 5 MPH put pedestrians and cyclists at risk.  
  • Look Closely: Driver’s vision drops tenfold as night falls. Always watch for pedestrians and cyclists.  

Stay Safe After Dark  

Pedestrian fatalities are skyrocketing around the country. According to the most recent statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, pedestrian fatalities are higher than they have been in almost 30 years. More than 6,280 pedestrians were killed in traffic accidents in 2018, the highest percentage occurring after dark.  

Pedestrians can reduce their risks of traffic accidents by staying alert and following these basic safety steps when walking at night:  

  • Use reflectors and lights to stay visible to cars; 
  • Only cross at crosswalks; 
  • Use the sidewalk when possible; 
  • Look both ways before you cross; 
  • Never assume a driver sees you; 
  • Wait for the walk signal before you enter the road; and 
  • Be predictable. Don’t expect others will always follow the rules.  

New York City and Long Island Car Accident Attorneys  

The end of Daylight Savings is no excuse for negligence on the road. Drivers in NYC have a responsibility to drive safely at all times, as well as to share the roads with pedestrians and cyclists. If you or a loved one has been injured in a car accident due to the negligence of another, our team at Siler & Ingber is here to help.  

With a 98% success rate, we have the experience and the know-how to help our clients achieve a favorable outcome. Contact us today at 1-877-529-4343, or schedule an appointment online anytime. We never charge a fee unless we recover money for you. 

Share this post

OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN.

PROMOTION PERIOD: The Siler & Ingber Mineola MegaStar Contest begins on March 20, 2023 at 12:00 am ET and
ends on May 1, 2023 at 11:59 PM ET.

ELIGIBILITY: To be eligible, a MegaStar must be a legal U.S. resident at least 16 years of age as of date of
Nomination. A Mineola MegaStar is defined as a person who lives or works in Mineola and is admired or idealized for their courage, dedication, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. By participating, Entrants agree to be
bound by the official rules. Sponsors reserve the right to verify and determine eligibility in their sole discretion.

TO PARTICIPATE: During the Promotion Period, Siler & Ingber will accept from the members of the public (herein, the “Nominators”) nominations of Eligible Entrants (Mineola Megastars) who live or works in Mineola. Nominations may be entered by visiting www.nylawnet.com/mineolamegastar and completing the online form and essay submission or by emailing photo and essay to marketing@nylawnet.com during the Promotion Period to receive one (1) entry. Essay must not exceed 500 words. Acceptable essay formats are word documents or pdf ONLY. Nominations submitted without all required information or after the Promotion Period will be disregarded.
Online submissions must be received by May 1, 2023 at 11:59 PM ET to be eligible. All entries become the exclusive property of Siler & Ingber and will not be acknowledged or returned.

ESSAY: During the promotion period, an Entrant can nominate a Mineola MegaStar for the contest by submitting a
photo and essay. The essay must describe why the individual should be chosen as the award winner, including how the individual demonstrates some or all of the following qualifications:

1) an inspiring example to others by helping make Mineola a better place to live (through volunteerism, extra-curricular actives, special projects, giving back, etc.)

2) going above and beyond to aid a friend, family member, stranger or community in a time of need; and/or

3) love of profession and desire, determination and diligence to help outside of normal job responsibilities. The essay must be in English and no more than 500 words. All information provided must be truthful, accurate and complete. An Entrant cannot nominate more than one Hero.

Submitted Materials: Each essay must satisfy all the following submission requirements the Submission


Requirements:

· The essay must be the original creation of Entrant.

· The essay must not portray any recognizable individual without their prior consent, including consent from the
Hero.

· Entrant must either own all rights to the essay or otherwise have the right to submit the essay in the contest and to provide the rights to Sage Surfaces as set forth herein.

· The essay must not infringe any third party’s intellectual property rights.

· The essay may not contain illegal, indecent, obscene, pornographic, or sexually explicit content, or otherwise offensive material or inappropriate content such as aberrational behavior, graphic violence, drug abuse, or nudity.

· The essay must not promote bigotry, racism, hatred or harm against any group or individual or discrimination based on race, gender, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age.

· The essay must be non-defamatory and must not invade any third party’s right of privacy or publicity.

· The essay must otherwise be appropriate for publication or broadcast or display on a general interest website.

By submitting an essay, each Entrant represents and warrants that the essay meets all of the submission
requirements and that the distribution, reproduction, display and any other uses of any part of the essay by Siler & Ingber as permitted herein will not infringe any third-party rights. Each Entrant further agrees to indemnify and hold Siler & Ingber harmless from and against any and all claims, demands, damages, costs, liabilities and causes of action of whatsoever nature that are based upon or arise out of any breach by such Entrant of such warranties or representations made by contestant or of these official rules.

By submitting an essay, Entrant grants to Siler & Ingber a non-exclusive, perpetual, world-wide, royalty-free license (and waives all moral rights in and to the essay) to display or otherwise use the essay in connection with this promotion and as set forth herein. If Siler & Ingber determines, in its sole discretion and at any time during the promotion period, that any nomination violates the submission requirements, is otherwise unsuitable, offensive, or in poor taste, or violates these official rules, Siler & Ingber reserves the right to remove and disqualify the essay. Siler & Ingber retains sole
discretion as to whether any nomination satisfies the submission requirements and the official rules.

WINNER SELECTION: For the entry period, a panel of judges will select potential Mineola Megastar finalists based on the compelling nature of the essay based on the criteria set forth herein. Top 5 entries will be announced on May 10, 2023. We will post the top 5 on social media. Final winner announced May 15, 2023. Award Ceremony for Mineola MegaStar will take place on May 19, 2023.


WINNER NOTIFICATION AND RELEASES: We will attempt to notify potential winners via telephone and/or email. If a potential winner: (a) does not respond within 48 hours of initial notification attempt; (b) is not in compliance with these official rules, (c) does not meet the eligibility requirements, (d) declines the prize, he or she will be disqualified, and an alternate winner will be selected by applying the criteria set forth above.
PRIZES: There is 1 Mineola MegaStar. Winner will receive a $500 Cash Prize.

PUBLICITY AND MARKETING: Submission of a nomination in the contest constitutes permission to Siler & Ingber to use Entrants name, identity, title, likeness, distinctive appearance, physical likeness, image, portrait, picture, photograph (whether still or moving), screen persona, voice, vocal style, statements, gesture, mannerism, personality, performance characteristic, biographical data, signature, social media handles and identities, and any other indicia or imitation of identity or likeness for purposes of advertising and trade, in any medium, without further notice, approval, or compensation, unless prohibited by law.

PRIZE RESTRICTIONS: No transfer, assignment, sale, duplication, cash redemption or substitution of Prize (or portion of Prize) is permitted, except by Sponsors, which reserve the right to substitute a Prize (or applicable portion of Prize) with one of comparable or greater value, as determined by Sponsors. Sponsors are not responsible for and will not replace a lost or stolen Prize or any component thereof. All Prize details are at Sponsors’ sole and absolute discretion. Non-compliance with these Official Rules may result in disqualification and, at Sponsors’ sole discretion, the awarding of Prize to an alternate winner.

VERIFICATION OF OFFICIAL WINNER: ALL PRIZE WINNERS ARE SUBJECT TO ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION BY SPONSORS, WHOSE DECISIONS ARE FINAL AND BINDING IN ALL MATTERS RELATED TO THE CONTEST.

Do I Have A Case

    Skip to content