Thursday, October 26, 2017

Clocks going back brings 29 per cent spike in car accidents

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Hugo Griffiths 2017-10-26 14:53

Insurance claim analysis reveals sharp increase in road collisions as clocks go back

A34 crash

The end of Daylight Saving as the clocks go back is linked to a steep increase in accident rates, new research has revealed.

By comparing five years’ worth of telematics data from 2012-2017, experts have determined the overall chances of having a car accident increases by 12% in November compared to October, with the period between 5pm and 8pm being even riskier thanks to a 29% rise in collisions.

LED road surface could reduce accident risk

Insurance black box provider Insure The Box analysed 18,000 accident claims from the months of October and November over a five-year period to reach its findings. The company is one of a number providing black box insurance cover to motorists, which sees small telematics devices fitted to cars in order to monitor the manner in which they’re driven.

Insure The Box’s road safety manager, Simon Rewell, said the average age of those whose data his company analysed was 23. Rewell believes the Government should be doing more to address the added danger driving in the dark brings.

“The evenings immediately after the clock change will, for many young drivers, be their first experience of night time driving and coping with reduced visibility and headlight glare”, Rewell said, adding 43% of all accidents recorded by the company’s devices occurred after 5pm.

He went on to explain that Insure The Box’s data confirms “more accidents occur at night than during the day” and deemed it “disappointing” the new driving test rules, which come into force on 4 December, don’t make provision for this. Rewell believes the changes, which will require test candidates to programme a sat nav, would have been “a strong opportunity to significantly improve confidence and road safety amongst young drivers.”

The clocks go back at 2am on Sunday 29 October.

Do you think learner drivers should have to do lessons at night? Let us know below!



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