Time change. The driver should know this

The last Sunday in March is the time when the time changes from winter to summer. This means you'll lose an hour of sleep, and while that may seem like a lot, not getting enough sleep can be detrimental to driving safety. How to prevent it?

After the daylight saving time has passed, the night will come much later. However, first on the night of March 30-31, we will have to move the clock forward an hour, which means less sleep. Lack of sleep can have negative consequences: large-scale studies have shown that driver drowsiness* was a factor in 9,5% of road traffic accidents.

There is a risk that a sleepy driver will fall asleep at the wheel. Even if it doesn't, fatigue slows down the driver's response and reduces concentration, and also affects the mood of the driver, who is easily irritated and can drive more aggressively, says Zbigniew Veseli, director of Renault's safe driving school. .

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How to minimize associated risks?

1. Start a week early

About a week before the clock changes, it is recommended to go to bed 10-15 minutes earlier every night. Thanks to this, we have a chance to quickly get used to the new bedtime.

2. Make up for an hour

If possible, it's best to go to bed an hour earlier on the Saturday before the clock change, or perhaps get up at the "regular" time before the clock change. All this so that our sleep lasts the same hours as always.

3. Avoid driving at dangerous times

Everyone has their own circadian rhythm that determines the feeling of sleepiness. Most people fall asleep driving most often at night, between midnight and 13 a.m. and often in the afternoon between 17 p.m. and XNUMX p.m. On Sundays and days after the clock change, it is best to avoid driving during these hours. .

4. Coffee or sleep can help

Nothing can replace a night's rest, but if you're feeling sleepy, some drivers may find it helpful to have a coffee or a short nap, such as on a Sunday afternoon.

5. Watch for signs of fatigue

How do you know when we should stop and take a break? We should be worried about difficulty opening our eyes and focusing, erratic thoughts, frequent yawning and rubbing of our eyes, irritation, not having a traffic sign or exit from an expressway or highway, say instructors from the Renault Driving School.

*Prevalence of traffic accidents while drowsy: estimates from a large-scale study of natural driving, AAA Highway Safety Foundation.

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